President Trump has reiterated his calls for the U.S. to impose the death penalty on drug dealers, praising countries like the Philippines, China and Singapore that apply capital punishment to drug traffickers. During a speech on Saturday, Trump recounted conversations with Chinese and Singaporean leaders who, he said, solved their countries’ drug problems by executing drug traffickers. Trump has also repeatedly expressed admiration for Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte and said he’s done an “unbelievable job on the drug problem.” Last month, the International Criminal Court opened a preliminary investigation into accusations that Duterte had committed crimes against humanity by overseeing the killing of up to 8,000 people in his so-called war on drugs. We speak to Widney Brown, the managing director of policy at the Drug Policy Alliance [ http://www.drugpolicy.org/ ]. https://www.democracynow.org/2018/3/12/death_to_drug_dealers_trump_threatens[with embedded video, and transcript]
Overthrow: 100 Years of U.S. Meddling & Regime Change, from Iran to Nicaragua to Hawaii to Cuba
Published on Mar 12, 2018 by Democracy Now!
As special counsel Robert Mueller continues his probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 election, we take a look back at Washington’s record of meddling in elections across the globe. By one count, the United States has interfered in more than 80 foreign elections between 1946 and 2000. And that doesn’t count U.S.-backed coups and invasions. We speak to former New York Times reporter Stephen Kinzer, author of “Overthrow: America’s Century of Regime Change from Hawaii to Iraq [ https://www.amazon.com/Overthrow-Americas-Century-Regime-Change/dp/0805082409 ].” https://www.democracynow.org/2018/3/12/100_years_of_us_interference_regime[with embedded video, and transcript]
As Ex-CIA Head Admits to U.S. Meddling in Elections, Is Outrage over Russian Interference Overblown?
Published on Mar 12, 2018 by Democracy Now!
Former CIA Director James Woolsey recently admitted the U.S. meddles in overseas elections. During an interview with Laura Ingraham on Fox News, Woolsey laughed about it and said the U.S. takes such action “only for a very good cause.” Woolsey made the comments shortly after 13 Russians were indicted for interfering with the U.S. election. We speak to former New York Times reporter Stephen Kinzer, author of “Overthrow: America’s Century of Regime Change from Hawaii to Iraq [ https://www.amazon.com/Overthrow-Americas-Century-Regime-Change/dp/0805082409 ].” https://www.democracynow.org/2018/3/12/as_ex_cia_head_admits_to[with embedded video, and transcript]
Notice Regarding the Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Iran
Issued on: March 12, 2018
On March 15, 1995, by Executive Order 12957, the President declared a national emergency with respect to Iran to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States constituted by the actions and policies of the Government of Iran. On May 6, 1995, the President issued Executive Order 12959, imposing more comprehensive sanctions on Iran to further respond to this threat. On August 19, 1997, the President issued Executive Order 13059, consolidating and clarifying those earlier orders. The President took additional steps pursuant to this national emergency through Executive Order 13553 of September 28, 2010, Executive Order 13574 of May 23, 2011, Executive Order 13590 of November 20, 2011, Executive Order 13599 of February 5, 2012, Executive Order 13606 of April 22, 2012, Executive Order 13608 of May 1, 2012, Executive Order 13622 of July 30, 2012, Executive Order 13628 of October 9, 2012, and Executive Order 13645 of June 3, 2013.
On July 14, 2015, the P5+1 (China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States), the European Union, and Iran agreed to a Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) to ensure that Iran’s nuclear program remains exclusively peaceful. On January 16, 2016, Implementation Day under the JCPOA, the United States lifted nuclear-related sanctions on Iran, by terminating a number of Executive Orders that had been issued pursuant to this national emergency and by taking other actions. Though these measures constitute a significant change in our sanctions posture, comprehensive non-nuclear-related sanctions with respect to Iran remain in place.
Actions and policies of the Government of Iran, including its development of ballistic missiles, support for international terrorism, and human rights abuses continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States.
For this reason, the national emergency declared on March 15, 1995, must continue in effect beyond March 15, 2018. Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency with respect to Iran declared in Executive Order 12957. The emergency declared by Executive Order 12957 constitutes an emergency separate from that declared on November 14, 1979, by Executive Order 12170, in connection with the hostage crisis. This renewal, therefore, is distinct from the emergency renewal of November 2017.
This notice shall be published in the Federal Register and transmitted to the Congress.
Text of a Letter from the President to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate
Issued on: March 12, 2018
Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. President:)
Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)) provides for the automatic termination of a national emergency unless, within 90 days before the anniversary date of its declaration, the President publishes in the Federal Register and transmits to the Congress a notice stating that the emergency is to continue in effect beyond the anniversary date. In accordance with this provision, I have sent to the Federal Register for publication the enclosed notice stating that the national emergency with respect to Iran that was declared on March 15, 1995, is to continue in effect beyond March 15, 2018.
On January 16, 2016, Implementation Day under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the United States lifted nuclear-related sanctions on Iran consistent with its commitments under the JCPOA, through termination of a number of Executive Orders that had been issued pursuant to this national emergency and other actions. Although these measures significantly changed our sanctions posture, comprehensive non-nuclear-related sanctions with respect to Iran remain in place.
Actions and policies of the Government of Iran, including its development of ballistic missiles, support for international terrorism, and human rights abuses continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States.
For these reasons, I have determined it is necessary to continue the national emergency declared with respect to Iran and to maintain in force comprehensive sanctions against Iran to respond to this threat.
Democrats are building their party platform around abolishing ICE & 2nd Amendment and former CIA & intel operatives are running for office as Democrats, outnumbering lawyers, state & local politicians and wealthy individuals. Then, the Florida legislature and government pass gun control measures in response to the Parkland shooting and Trump’s plan is revealed as a congressman warns of a legislative trick from BOTH parties. And, Joel Skousen is skeptical of the North Korean peace talks and talks about personal preparation.
[from Alex Jones and his merry band of batshit bullshitters]
Presidential Order Regarding the Proposed Takeover of Qualcomm Incorporated by Broadcom Limited
Issued on: March 12, 2018
Upon review of a recommendation from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States and consideration, as appropriate, of the factors set forth in the Defense Production Act of 1950, as amended, the President has made relevant findings and issued the following Order:
ORDER
REGARDING THE PROPOSED TAKEOVER OF QUALCOMM INCORPORATED BY BROADCOM LIMITED
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 721 of the Defense Production Act of 1950, as amended (section 721), 50 U.S.C. 4565, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Findings. (a) There is credible evidence that leads me to believe that Broadcom Limited, a limited company organized under the laws of Singapore (Broadcom), along with its partners, subsidiaries, or affiliates, including Broadcom Corporation, a California corporation, and Broadcom Cayman L.P., a Cayman Islands limited partnership, and their partners, subsidiaries, or affiliates (together, the Purchaser), through exercising control of Qualcomm Incorporated (Qualcomm), a Delaware corporation, might take action that threatens to impair the national security of the United States; and
(b) Provisions of law, other than section 721 and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), do not, in my judgment, provide adequate and appropriate authority for me to protect the national security in this matter.
Sec. 2. Actions Ordered and Authorized. On the basis of the findings set forth in section 1 of this order, considering the factors described in subsection 721(f) of the Defense Production Act of 1950, as appropriate, and pursuant to my authority under applicable law, including section 721, I hereby order that:
(a) The proposed takeover of Qualcomm by the Purchaser is prohibited, and any substantially equivalent merger, acquisition, or takeover, whether effected directly or indirectly, is also prohibited.
(b) All 15 individuals listed as potential candidates on the Form of Blue Proxy Card filed by Broadcom and Broadcom Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 20, 2018 (together, the Candidates), are hereby disqualified from standing for election as directors of Qualcomm. Qualcomm is prohibited from accepting the nomination of or votes for any of the Candidates.
(c) The Purchaser shall uphold its proxy commitments to those Qualcomm stockholders who have returned their final proxies to the Purchaser, to the extent consistent with this order.
(d) Qualcomm shall hold its annual stockholder meeting no later than 10 days following the written notice of the meeting provided to stockholders under Delaware General Corporation Law, Title 8, Chapter 1, Subchapter VII, section 222(b), and that notice shall be provided as soon as possible.
(e) The Purchaser and Qualcomm shall immediately and permanently abandon the proposed takeover. Immediately upon completion of all steps necessary to terminate the proposed takeover of Qualcomm, the Purchaser and Qualcomm shall certify in writing to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) that such termination has been effected in accordance with this order and that all steps necessary to fully and permanently abandon the proposed takeover of Qualcomm have been completed.
(f) From the date of this order until the Purchaser and Qualcomm provide a certification of termination of the proposed takeover to CFIUS pursuant to subsection (e) of this section, the Purchaser and Qualcomm shall certify to CFIUS on a weekly basis that they are in compliance with this order and include a description of efforts to fully and permanently abandon the proposed takeover of Qualcomm and a timeline for projected completion of remaining actions.
(g) Any transaction or other device entered into or employed for the purpose of, or with the effect of, avoiding or circumventing this order is prohibited.
(h) If any provision of this order, or the application of any provision to any person or circumstances, is held to be invalid, the remainder of this order and the application of its other provisions to any other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby. If any provision of this order, or the application of any provision to any person or circumstances, is held to be invalid because of the lack of certain procedural requirements, the relevant executive branch officials shall implement those procedural requirements.
(i) This order supersedes the Interim Order issued by CFIUS on March 4, 2018.
(j) The Attorney General is authorized to take any steps necessary to enforce this order.
Sec. 3. Reservation. I hereby reserve my authority to issue further orders with respect to the Purchaser and Qualcomm as shall in my judgment be necessary to protect the national security of the United States.
Sec. 4. Publication and Transmittal. (a) This order shall be published in the Federal Register.
(b) I hereby direct the Secretary of the Treasury to transmit a copy of this order to Qualcomm and Broadcom.
Editor-in-chief Judd Legum and reporter Alan Pyke discuss the effort to roll back Dodd-Frank, the sweeping reforms put in place to stop another financial crisis like 2008 from happening again. The Republican bill is likely to pass with significant Democratic support.
The one thing GOP and Dems agree on could lead to the next financial crisis
Published on Mar 12, 2018 by ThinkProgress
Dodd-Frank was put into law in 2010 to protect the U.S. economy from experiencing another devastating crisis like the one in 2008. Eight years later, Senate Banking Committee Chair Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) aims to roll those regulations back.
The Senate is on the verge of passing a bill that will weaken Dodd-Frank, the landmark 2010 banking reform law. If passed, the new bill will exempt midsize banks with less than $250 billion in assets from strict regulatory scrutiny, and loosen some rules on small banks. It’s a Republican bill, but it’s also being supported by more than a dozen Democratic senators.
VICE News spoke to former congressman Barney Frank, the architect of Dodd-Frank, about what the new bill means, why some Democrats are supporting it, and how the original bill he helped write is holding up almost a decade after it was signed into law.
Larry T. Decker has spent nearly two decades in Washington, D.C. as a government relations professional in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. On Dec. 29, 2015, Decker was appointed by the Board of Directors to the position of executive director of the Secular Coalition for America. Prior to joining the Secular Coalition, Decker has a long history in Washington.
Decker served as the director of Public Policy for Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. During his time at the Global Fund, Decker secured more than $1 billion in federal appropriations for the Global Fund during a period of economic austerity. He successfully executed an outreach and education campaign to meet with all new Republican members of Congress following the 2010 midterm elections in an effort to ensure an understanding of the devastating consequences of cutting U.S. support to the Global Fund.
Monday, March 12th 2018: Musk to Mars! - Alex Jones breaks down how Tesla founder Elon Musk announced a plan to send a space vehicle to Mars as soon as next year with the ultimate goal involving planting seeds on the surface and establishing a human colony. Also, President Trump looks to individual states to decide gun purchase age restrictions. Mike Adams of NaturalNews.com breaks down internet censorship. Then, joining today's conversation, is British free speech activist Tommy Robinson to discuss UK's Orwellian censorship laws and his epic battle with ten masked ANTIFA thugs on his own.
Emperor Atheist discussing the doctrine of inerrancy in the New testament and how the texts are contradictory especially for those who agree with the Alexandrian texts.
Matthew 27:49 – the Alexandrian Text and Inerrancy
Matthew 27:49 is among the passages where a textual variant occurs which has the potential to impact doctrine – specifically, the doctrine of inerrancy. The doctrine that the texts of the Old and New Testament, as originally produced, are inerrant, is not something that a person has to believe in order to be saved. But many people consider it a doctrine that is important to maintain the health of the church. So let’s look into this.
Major Alexandrian witnesses for Matthew, including Vaticanus and Sinaiticus, contain more in this verse. They say (in Greek, of course), “And another took a spear and pierced his side, and out came water and blood.” Notice that this is reported, in the Alexandrian Text of Matthew, to occur before the death of Christ in 27:50.
Compare this to John 19:28-35. John explicitly says that Jesus was pierced after He died; John 19:35 makes a special point of saying that he is right about this. But the Alexandrian reading in Mt. 27:49 says that Jesus was pierced right before He died.
Modern versions such as the NIV and ESV are based primarily on a compilation of the Alexandrian Text; Byzantine readings are adopted in their base-texts as a last resort. (Clear exceptions are the NKJV - based on the TR - and the WEB and EMTV - based on the Byzantine Text.) Even when Vaticanus and Sinaiticus stand alone, modern versions still tend to adopt their readings. For example, NIV-translator Craig Blomberg has recently conveyed that if it wasn’t for the fuss that would be raised by KJV-Onlyists, Mark 16:9-20 would be gone. (As it is, the NIV’s treatment of Mark 16:9-20 is problematic, but I don’t want to spend much time criticizing the NIV because my criticisms might be obsolete tomorrow, as the NIV changes and changes.) Daniel Wallace has also said, iirc, that he’s considering removing Mark 16:9-20 from the text of the NET. To do so would be to adopt a reading that disagrees with all extant Greek manuscripts except for Vaticanus and Sinaiticus.
But that can’t happen in the case of Matthew 27:49. It cannot happen, I say, because the Alexandrian reading of Mt. 27:49 is attested in more than two Greek manuscripts. It is in Vaticanus and Sinaiticus and, if my information is correct, it is also attested in Codices C, L, U, and Gamma, plus more than 30 minuscules and several Latin copies. (Also, in the early 500’s, Severus of Antioch addressed this variant.) So we have a situation in which an Alexandrian reading is favored at Mark 16 where only two Greek MSS clearly display it, but an Alexandrian reading is being rejected at Mt. 27:49 where those same two Greek manuscipts (the “oldest and most reliable,” according to some footnotes), and other manuscripts, attest it.
I have to emphasize, again, that Sinaiticus has this Alexandrian reading. If you visit the Codex Sinaiticus website and consult the English translation provided there, it will give you a different impression. The actual reading in the manuscript is not translated; only the usual part is provided. But if you look at the manuscript-image itself, or read the Greek transcript, there is the Alexandrian reading, plain as day.
Now, before we begin to analyze the Alexandrian Text of Matthew 27:49, can we agree that it would, if adopted into the text, pose a problem for the doctrine of inerrancy? Read carefully the account in Matthew 27, and the parallel in John 19. Does anyone here think that the Alexandrian Text’s version of events in Matthew 27, and the version of events in John 19, can both be inerrant?
Readout of President Donald J. Trump’s Call with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada
Issued on: March 12, 2018
President Donald J. Trump spoke today with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada regarding the Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum that the President announced last week. President Trump emphasized the importance of quickly concluding the ongoing NAFTA negotiations to ensure the vitality of United States and North American manufacturing industries and to protect the economic and national security of the United States.
Breaking news today includes multiple fatal explosions in Texas from suspicious packages, Infowars is under attack from Hillary Clinton's legal team, the House Intelligence Committee has just announced no collusion found between Russia and Trump, all while South By Southwest is in town. We cover the explosions, and Alex Jones joins the show to discuss the latest attacks on Infowars.
[from Alex Jones and his merry band of batshit bullshitters]
Ken Ham and his team have a bi-weekly "news" show, reacting to the news stories of the day from a Christian young-earth creation perspective from the Answers in Genesis staff at his Creation Museum.
Shannon Q and Viced Rhino join Ken Ham, Avery Foley, and Bodie Hodge as they discuss criminalizing Christian counseling, a 70-year-old man the first to be arrested under Ontario’s new ban on pro-life speech, new fossils are redefining what makes a dinosaur, and more in this episode of Answers News hosted in front of a live audience at the Creation Museum.
Statement from the Press Secretary on the Visit of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia
Issued on: March 12, 2018
President Donald J. Trump will welcome Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia to the White House on March 20, 2018. The President looks forward to discussing ways to strengthen ties between the United States and Saudi Arabia and to advance our common security and economic priorities.
Adult film actress Stormy Daniels is ready to give back “hush money” to speak in detail about her alleged affair with Donald Trump. Michael Avenatti, Stormy Daniels’ attorney wonders why “we have not heard from the President” and says it “isn’t complicated” so “what are they hiding”?
Rosenstein to Trump: No 'justification' to fire Mueller
The Beat with Ari Melber 3/12/18
Special Counsel Bob Mueller’s boss, Deputy Attorney General, Rod Rosenstein says Robert Mueller is “not an unguided missile” and there is no “justification” to fire him. All of this coming as the Republican leading the House Intelligence Committee's Russia probe says -- they're finished.
Nunberg: Mueller team asked about Trump lawyer's payment to Stormy Daniels
The Beat with Ari Melber 3/12/18
Former Trump campaign adviser Sam Nunberg reveals Mueller investigators asked him about Trump lawyer’s payments to women and detailed being asked about mentor Roger Stone and Wikileaks founder Julian Assange during his four hours in Mueller’s grand jury box.
NYC vs. NJ: Rapper Havoc and Sen. Torricelli debate hometown music
The Beat with Ari Melber 3/12/18
Watch legendary rapper Havoc from Mobb Deep and Senator Robert Torricelli debate music in this irreverent discussion on The Real List. Havoc reveals there will be a new Mobb Deep album before the end of 2018.
How A Family In Eastern Ghouta Was Torn Apart By The Airstrikes (HBO)
Published on Mar 12, 2018 by VICE News
More than 600 people have been killed in Eastern Ghouta, Syria in the last 13 days. As the Assad regime continues to try to smash the last major pocket of rebel activity. Hundreds of thousands are trapped in Eastern Ghouta, which has been under siege since 2013. And the UN-brokered promise of daily five-hour ceasefires, meant to help civilians escape, hasn’t materialized. And aid can't get in either.
It’s an unlikely place for a democratic revolution.
Since the start of the Syrian civil war, Kurdish people in the North have carved out an autonomous region of their own — Rojava — by fighting the Islamic State. Their militias, which form the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), have emerged as the most effective fighters against ISIS and won them a close partnership with the US.
The ruling Kurdish Party, the PYD, has set up a democratic federation made of local governments. Their constitution claims to accept people of all ethnicities and religions and treat them as equals. One of its central tenets is equality of men and women. In fact, the all-female Women’s Protection Unit (YPJ) militia fights alongside the SDF, and they’re known to be especially good soldiers.
But the more territory the Kurds take from ISIS, the more worried Turkey gets.
Turkey has been at war with another closely linked Kurdish group, the PKK, for decades. In 2018, Turkey invaded the Syrian Kurdish enclave of Afrin, putting the country in direct conflict with the Kurds of Rojava.
How The Opposition Is Fighting Back In The Russian Elections (HBO)
Published on Mar 12, 2018 by VICE News
Alexei Navalny was detained last month for organizing the January 28th protests, and is waiting for a court date which is likely to result in him being put away until April. His campaign manager and deputy Leonid Volkov is already in the slammer and not due out until March 24th. When your candidate - long-banned from running - is telling people not to vote, and will spend election day in prison, what is a campaign? It will be up to his die-hard believers to organize protests in Navalny's name, risking arrest in the process, and likely failing to be effective in the end.
Maxine Waters reacts to Trump calling her "low-IQ individual"
All In with Chris Hayes 3/12/18
Donald Trump called California Congresswoman Maxine Waters, who has called for his impeachment, "a very low IQ individual" in a Pennsylvania speech over the weekend.
Trump Jr. talks to the press with big bowl of ice cream
All In with Chris Hayes 3/12/18
Donald Trump Jr. sported a hair net to tour a candy factory in Pennsylvania and then held an impromptu news conference while eating a big bowl of ice cream.
New book's scoop could clarify dossier's 'Trump pee tape' claim
The Rachel Maddow Show 3/12/18
Rachel Maddow shares highlights from "Russian Roulette," the new book by David Corn and Michael Isikoff, including a story about Donald Trump's visit to a night club with questionable entertainment.
Trump set stage early for Russian permeation of his campaign
The Rachel Maddow Show 3/12/18
David Corn and Michael Isikoff discuss with Rachel Maddow some of the insights explored in their new book, "Russian Roulette," including the unusual presence of people like Paul Manafort, Carter Page, and George Papadopoulos on the Trump campaign team.
On 2016 Russian intrusion, US intel saw dots, missed connection
The Rachel Maddow Show 3/12/18
David Corn and Michael Isikoff discuss with Rachel Maddow some of the insights explored in their new book, "Russian Roulette," including how many of the ingredients of the Russian attack on the 2016 election were known to the U.S. intelligence community without the realization of the overall plot.
Schiff blasts GOP over premature Russia probe shutdown
The Rachel Maddow Show 3/12/18
Rep. Adam Schiff talks with Rachel Maddow about the Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee shutting down their Trump Russia investigation with witnesses yet to interview and questions left unanswered.
Lawrence & Rachel: 'Russian Roulette' connects the dots
The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell 3/12/18
New book 'Russian Roulette' synthesizes the characters and timeline of Russia and the Trump campaign. Rachel Maddow interviewed the authors, Michael Isikoff and David Corn, on The Rachel Maddow Show tonight. She joins Lawrence O'Donnell to react to the interview.
Rep. Swalwell: GOP ending Russia probe 'invites another attack'
The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell 3/12/18
Congressman Eric Swalwell says House Intel Cmte. Democrats "weren't told" about the Republicans' plan to release a report essentially vindicating the Trump campaign of any wrongdoing and ending the Committee's Russia probe. David Frum also joins Lawrence O'Donnell.
Rob Porter's ex-wife on Trump team's ignorance on abuse
The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell 3/12/18
A full month after ex-wives revealed abuse allegations that were holding up White House Staff Secretary Rob Porter's security clearance, one of them, Jennie Willoughby, joins Lawrence O'Donnell to discuss what the White House and John Kelly don't get about abuse.
Dems blast House Intel Republicans for ending Russia probe
The 11th Hour with Brian Williams 3/13/18
Democrats say Republicans put protecting the president over finding the truth when the GOP on the House Intelligence Committee decided to wrap up their Russia investigation. Our panel reacts.
Report: Mueller may delay decision on obstruction charge
The 11th Hour with Brian Williams 3/13/18
A report from Bloomberg News states Russia Special Counsel Robert Mueller may delay deciding whether to change Trump with obstruction of justice until other parts of his investigation are through. Our panel reacts.
Stormy Daniels offers Trump $130,000 back for her silence
The 11th Hour with Brian Williams 3/13/18
Stormy Daniels is offering to give back the $130,000 she was paid for her silence so she can speak freely about her alleged affair with Trump and release any text messages, photos, & videos she might have.
Florida Dem: Deeply disappointed in Trump's gun plan
The 11th Hour with Brian Williams 3/13/18
Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-FL) who's district is right next to the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando and who spoke with Trump about guns at a bipartisan White House meeting reacts to his new gun control plan.
President Trump discusses his 2020 bid at a rally meant for Pennsylvania's special election and agrees to meet Kim Jong-un to discuss North Korea's denuclearization.
Third Month Mania: Bracket of Bullshit | The Daily Show
Published on Mar 12, 2018 by The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
Roy Wood Jr. and Michael Kosta introduce this year’s Third Month Mania, the bracket tournament where viewers vote to decide the best bullshit from the last year.
Gotcha journalist Lesley Stahl tries to make Education Secretary Betsy DeVos look foolish by getting her to freely admit she's never been to a struggling school.
Can Trump's Lawyers Block Stormy Daniels' '60 Minutes' Appearance?
Published on Mar 12, 2018 by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Trump's lawyers are doing everything in their power to prevent Stormy Daniels' '60 Minutes' interview from airing. Even though nothing happened between them! Nothing!
Published on Mar 13, 2018 by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Trump visited Moon Township, Pennsylvania, ahead of their upcoming special election to encourage voters to remember one Republican candidate: Donald Trump.
There’s more to Russia’s cyber interference than the Mueller probe suggests An underlying theme running through special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s investigation is that Russia’s ultimate goal was to make sure Donald Trump was elected president. That’s just part of the picture. Last month, Mueller’s team released the details of the grand jury indictments of 13 Russian nationals, as well as a shadowy Russian firm known as the Internet Research Agency, for conducting information warfare against the United States and breaking three U.S. federal laws. Our research looks at Russian cyber and information warfare activity — and distinct patterns begin to emerge. But this is a nonlinear strategy and a long-term assault on Russia’s adversaries. Although boosting the Trump campaign may have been one of Russia’s primary goals in 2016, the 2020 goal could just as easily be helping the president’s Democratic challenger. [...] https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2018/03/12/theres-more-to-russias-cyber-meddling-than-the-mueller-probe-suggests/
Donald Trump Jr. Has Previously Undisclosed Business Partnership With Hunting Buddy (NEW YORK) - Donald Trump Jr. has a previously undisclosed business relationship with a longtime hunting buddy who helped raise millions of dollars for his father’s 2016 presidential campaign and has had special access to top government officials since the election, records obtained by The Associated Press show. The president’s eldest son and Texas hedge fund manager Gentry Beach have been involved in business deals together dating back to the mid-2000s and recently formed a company — Future Venture LLC — despite past claims by both men that they were just friends, according to previously unreported court records and other documents obtained by AP. Beach last year met with top National Security Council officials to push a plan that would curb U.S. sanctions in Venezuela and open up business for U.S. companies in the oil-rich nation. [...] http://time.com/5195384/donald-trump-jr-gentry-beach-undisclosed-business/
Donald Trump Jr.'s hunting buddy who helped raise millions for 2016 campaign has had special access to top officials since the election Donald Trump Jr. and Texas hedge fund manager Gentry Beach have long claimed they're just friends But the president's eldest son and the Republican donor have a previously undisclosed business relationship Last February, Beach and an Iraqi-American businessman met with top officials at the National Security Council They presented a plan for lightening U.S. sanctions in Venezuela in exchange for opening business opportunities for U.S. companies there Seven months later Beach attended a private lunch in Dallas between Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and Republican donors, including some in big oil http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5490145/Trump-Jr-partners-donor-pitched-govt.html
Putin says he approved plan to shoot down plane in 2014 MOSCOW (AP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has said in a new documentary that he approved of a plan to shoot down a hijacked passenger jet four years ago. A Ukrainian man tried to hijack a Turkey-bound flight and demanded that it go to Sochi as the Winter Olympics were about to start there in February 2014. The Sochi Games were Putin’s pet project designed to showcase Russia. The plane’s pilot instead tricked the man, who was drunk and falsely claimed he had a bomb, and landed in Istanbul. Officials credited the pilot and crew for convincing the 45-year-old-man that they were following his wishes. Putin said in a two-hour documentary about him that aired on state television late Sunday that the chief of domestic intelligence agency FSB had briefed him on the phone and said they were prepared to shoot down the plane with 110 passengers onboard. “I asked: ‘what are you suggesting?’ and the answer was the one I expected: shoot it down in line with the contingency plans for such situations,” Putin said, quoting his conversation with FSB chief Alexander Bortnikov. “I said: ‘act according to the plan.’” [...] https://www.apnews.com/150cc3554fa5464191f0f464d0884d14/Putin-says-he-approved-plan-to-shoot-down-plane-in-2014
Trump drops calls to raise guns age limit US President Donald Trump's plan to deter school shootings does not include his repeated calls to raise the age for buying semi-automatic rifles to 21. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-43369991
Qataris opted not to give info on Kushner, secret meetings to Mueller WASHINGTON — Qatari officials gathered evidence of what they claim is illicit influence by the United Arab Emirates on Jared Kushner and other Trump associates, including details of secret meetings, but decided not to give the information to special counsel Robert Mueller for fear of harming relations with the Trump administration, say three sources familiar with the Qatari discussions. Lebanese-American businessman George Nader and Republican donor Elliott Broidy, who participated in the meetings, have both been the focus of news reports in recent days about their connections to the UAE and Trump associates. It is unknown whether Qatari officials were the source of the recent news stories detailing activities by Nader and Broidy published by The New York Times and CNN. NBC News previously reported that Qatari officials weighed speaking to Mueller during a visit to Washington earlier this year, and has now learned the information the officials wanted to share included details about Nader and Broidy working with the UAE to turn the Trump administration against Qatar, according to three people familiar with the discussions. Qatari officials believe the meetings — as well as fallout from Qatari business dealings with Kushner — may have influenced President Donald Trump's public endorsement of a blockade of Qatar by its neighbors that began last year. A Qatari delegation came to Washington in late January and early February and met with Trump officials to discuss shared national security interests. Despite Trump's endorsement of the blockade in June, the Qataris felt the meetings with top advisers had been productive and decided against reaching out to Mueller in order to preserve the relationship, according to people familiar with the internal Qatari deliberations. A spokesperson for the Qatari embassy in Washington said in a statement last week that Qatar won't be providing materials to the Mueller investigation. The Qataris also met with FBI Director Chris Wray while they were in Washington, but never shared their information about the UAE's alleged influence on the administration. Broidy, meanwhile, has accused Qatar of hacking his emails and distributing the contents to news organizations to discredit him. Qatar has denied that. Nader, who was stopped by federal agents at Dulles Airport near Washington in January, is now cooperating with Mueller's team. Broidy was a top fundraiser for Trump in addition to being a member of Trump's inaugural committee and the Republican Jewish Coalition. Nader helped organize a January 2017 meeting in the Seychelles, according to The Washington Post, and the Post says Mueller is investigating as an alleged attempt to set up a back channel of communications with the Russians. Qatar vs. the UAE The gathering of damaging information by the Qataris, their consideration of whether to speak to Mueller, and the alleged influence campaign inside the White House by the Emiratis are all evidence of how mounting tensions between the two tiny, wealthy Gulf nations are playing out in a high-stakes war of influence in Washington. In June 2017, Trump endorsed the decision led by UAE and Saudi Arabia to blockade Qatar, saying the Qatar was funding terrorism. On June 5, the president tweeted, "Perhaps this will be the beginning of the end to horror of terrorism!" The blockade has cut the country off from shipments of food and medical supplies by land and sea. Since then, according to Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA) filings, both governments have greatly increased their hiring of American lobbyists, including some former Trump campaign officials. Qatari officials believe Trump's verbal backing of the blockade was a form of retaliation by his son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, whose family's negotiations with Qatari investors had recently fallen apart, according to several sources familiar with the Qatari government's thinking. Trump, the UAE and Saudi Arabia have said the blockade is in retaliation for Qatar's support for terrorism. A spokesman for Kushner's lawyer told NBC News that Kushner was "a point person for completely appropriate contacts from foreign officials and he did not mix his or his former company's business in those contacts and any claim otherwise is false." Qatari officials also believe the Trump administration may have been influenced by the meetings with Broidy and have documents that they say show the connection between Broidy and the UAE, according to several people familiar with the Qatari government's thinking. According to the sources, the officials have information they claim details Nader's involvement in a December 2016 meeting that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the UAE had with Trump officials at Trump Tower, including Kushner, incoming national security advisor Michael Flynn and incoming chief strategist Steve Bannon. The meeting took Obama administration officials by surprise when they learned about it in intelligence reports because the crown prince broke diplomatic protocol and did not alert them that he would be in the U.S., according to people familiar with the matter. The UAE and Saudi Arabia have long been rivals of Qatar, but their feud has escalated under the Trump administration. Fourteen lobbying and public relations firms have publicly registered as agents of Qatar, UAE or Saudi Arabia since Trump's blockade endorsement last year, according to FARA data. One firm that lobbied in favor of Qatar is Mercury Public Affairs, which worked with Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort. Manafort has since been charged by Mueller with money laundering, bank fraud and tax evasion. Mercury is believed to be an unnamed party in Manafort's charges, but so far faces no legal exposure. Manafort has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Another firm that worked for Manafort, the now-dissolved Podesta Group, lobbied on behalf of Saudi Arabia, and published a still-live web site that alleges Qatar is treacherous. Trump's former campaign adviser Corey Lewandowski previously worked for Avenue Strategies Global, which alleged in a letter to the Justice Department that Saudi Arabia was violating FARA regulations. The firm is being paid $500,000 monthly for its contract with the embassy of Qatar, according to FARA filings. The widening rift between Qatar and UAE comes at a time when the White House is hoping to reduce tensions between the two countries and facilitate a resolution to issues that led to the blockade. Trump is expected to host separate meetings with the Saudi crown prince, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi and the Qatari emir in coming weeks, in advance of an expected summit of Arab states this summer. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/qataris-opted-not-give-info-kushner-secret-meetings-mueller-n855326
Two deadly March home explosions could be related, police say Austin police are investigating a home explosion in Central East Austin as a homicide after a teenage boy was killed. Officials believe this latest explosion could be connected to the deadly home explosion on March 2, 2018. [...] However, a motive in the two incidents remains unclear at this time. Manley said they do know that the two victims in both cases were African Americans and they cannot rule out that the incidents were hate crimes. [...] http://www.11alive.com/article/news/two-deadly-march-home-explosions-could-be-related-police-say/269-527760325
A Dozen Democrats Want To Help Banks Hide Racial Discrimination In Mortgages These senators are finding common ground with President Trump. Tim Kaine isn’t shy about his work as a fair housing lawyer. When he ran as the Democratic Party’s vice presidential nominee in 2016, the Virginia senator routinely touted his past pro bono efforts to help low-income families deal with shady landlords and racist lenders. Combined with his affable dork-dad delivery, Kaine helped shore up Hillary Clinton’s credibility on an ambitious anti-discrimination agenda. And it didn’t sound like empty politician talk: Kaine had done the work. He still feels a connection with civil rights attorneys. “In representing people who are getting ripped off or who don’t have anybody else to stand up for them or who don’t even know the questions to ask or where to turn for help, you are the hero,” Kaine told a Washington gathering of the nonprofit National Consumer Law Center in November. And on Monday, the Senate will hold a key vote on a Kaine-sponsored bill that deliberately undermines the government’s ability to enforce laws against racial discrimination in the housing market. The legislation would block the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau from collecting key data showing when and where families of color are being overcharged for home loans or steered into predatory products. It’s just one small provision in a broad financial deregulation package, which is almost certain to clear both chambers of Congress and receive President Donald Trump’s signature. Last week, 17 members of the Senate Democratic caucus voted to advance the bill. The effort to chip away at anti-discrimination enforcement has largely gone overlooked this year, as banking watchdogs focused their criticism on the legislation’s rollback of tougher rules against risk-taking at megabanks that were implemented in response to the 2008 financial crisis. Both foreign financial conglomerates and big American regional lenders would enjoy lighter federal supervision if the bill passes. To its opponents, the bill represents a contorted statement of values, prioritizing short-term bank profits over consumer protection and financial stability. “This is a bad bill,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) told HuffPost. “No Democrat and no Republican should support it.” The federal government has been collecting basic data on mortgage discrimination since 1975, tallying by race which families receive loans and which are denied. Banks have always made a habit of turning down mortgages in black neighborhoods - a practice known as redlining that is still very much alive and well. But the housing bubble and subsequent foreclosure bust laid bare another ugly trend. Lenders had also been targeting minority families with subprime mortgages and other predatory loans, instead of simply denying mortgages outright. The 2010 Dodd-Frank financial reform law sought to address this by setting tougher predatory lending rules and by requiring banks to turn over a broader swath of information to the newly created CFPB. In addition to basic facts about loan approval or denial, lenders had to report a borrower’s age and credit score as well as the property value of the home being purchased, the interest rate, loan terms, and other pricing features of each mortgage. All of this information can be used to help determine if families of color are being ripped off or disproportionately pushed into predatory loans. The CFPB looks through the data for violations or red flags, and publishes it online so consumer groups can do their own research. The bill the Senate will consider next week would wholly exempt banks that make 500 or fewer mortgages a year from reporting any of this additional data. That would shield about 85 percent of banks and credit unions from scrutiny, according to the CFPB’s estimates. These smaller lenders issue only a small fraction of the home loans provided by the financial system, but still work with hundreds of thousands of borrowers every year. A Kaine spokesperson said the senator is just looking to provide “relief for small community banks and credit unions in Virginia while strengthening consumer protections for all Americans.” The spokesperson also noted Kaine’s background: “As a former fair housing attorney who fought against discriminatory lending practices, Senator Kaine supports stringent requirements to protect against unfair lending, and this legislation keeps those protections in place.” But the National Consumer Law Center isn’t buying it. In December, the center teamed up with two other consumer groups to urge every senator to vote against the “harmful legislation” that Kaine is backing. “This bill contains destructive policies that roll back or eliminate essential protections,” the groups wrote. It’s hard to find a liberal organization that likes anything about the bill. The AFL-CIO, the consumer watchdogs at Public Citizen, the establishment think-tankers at the Center for American Progress, the wonk-activists at Indivisible and the banking experts at Americans for Financial Reform have all weighed in against the legislation, citing harms to consumers and risks to financial stability. The National Fair Housing Alliance, the National Housing Law Project and the National Urban League have all specifically criticized the provision on anti-discrimination data. Supporters of the bill bristle at the suggestion that it protects racial discrimination. They say it would allow banks to make more loans by cutting costs and help small banks stay in business in a market that favors Wall Street ? standard defenses for any measure that saves money for little banks. A spokesperson for Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) said the legislation would not end the reporting of any data about race. That’s technically true: Banks would still have to report the race of loan applicants to regulators, just not the new details about rates and types of loans. A spokesperson for Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) argued that the loss of some financial data was a reasonable price to pay for helping smaller lenders save money on paperwork: “The bill would exclude only 3.57 percent of data while exempting around 75 percent of insured banks and credit unions.” Detailed numbers from the CFPB show the data loss would be heavily concentrated on poor neighborhoods ? precisely the communities most at risk for predatory lending. More than 1,700 census tracts officially designated as “low and moderate income” would lose at least 20 percent of the data they’d collect without the new law, while 185 cities and towns would lose at least 10 percent. For progressive interest groups, the idea of turning a blind eye to just a little housing discrimination in order to help banks trim paperwork costs suggests a twisted set of priorities. “This bill opens a door for racial discrimination in mortgage lending,” said Chad Bolt, a senior policy manager with Indivisible, a coalition of liberal activists formed after the 2016 election. “Why go back there?” Banks already keep track of loan price and borrower details for their own files. The CFPB estimates that the current rule will cost small, “low-complexity” banks about $1,900 a year, plus about $3,000 in upfront costs. The potential profits from exploiting families of color are harder to quantify. Senate Democrats, even those ardently pro-financial reform, have been telling community banks for years that they’re willing to cut them a break on some post-crisis regulations. But Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), the top Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee, had balked at Republican efforts to undermine basic consumer protection law. So the community bank lobbyists threw in their lot with big banks that were looking for their own set of favors. Until late last year, it seemed like a bad legislative strategy. Combining Wall Street deregulation with attacks on consumer protection enforcement was fine for cultivating Republican votes, but Democrats were reluctant to stage a frontal attack on President Barack Obama’s financial reform law. The Senate Banking Committee hasn’t traditionally functioned as a platform for serious Wall Street oversight. Party leaders tend to pack the panel with swing-state Democrats, who can use their position to fundraise by doing various favors for the financial sector. With Brown refusing to bend on GOP demands, Sens. Warner, Tester, Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) and Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) decided to go around Brown and cut a deal with committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho). Eight more Democrats, including Kaine, are also co-sponsoring the bill. Heitkamp and Donnelly face tough re-election battles this fall, and the paucity of legislation during the Trump era makes the campaign finance strategy at work here fairly easy to interpret. According to Center for Responsive Politics data, the top three recipients of campaign contributions from commercial banks in the 2018 cycle have been Heitkamp, Donnelly and Tester, in that order. Heitkamp’s $157,000 haul is nearly double what Crapo - usually a top target as the committee chair - brought in. Only Tester made the list of the top 20 Senate recipients of commercial bank cash in the 2016 cycle, suggesting that the bank lobby has been working overtime to get Democratic help this year. “This bipartisan legislation would provide regulatory relief to Indiana’s 103 community banks and 154 credit unions, many of which are located in rural areas facing significant declines in lending activity,” Donnelly spokesman Sarah Rothschild told HuffPost. “That is why Senator Donnelly has worked since 2013 to make it easier for Hoosier families to get mortgages or obtain loans to start small businesses.” A representative for Heitkamp declined to comment. For the financial industry as a whole, the anti-discrimination data provision is essentially a sideshow - something thrown in to appease small banks that are comparatively disadvantaged by other parts of the bill. Dodd-Frank imposed a tougher set of rules on the biggest banks than it placed on smaller firms. Banks with at least $50 billion in assets have to undergo frequent stress-testing by the Federal Reserve to determine whether they can withstand an unexpected financial shock. They have to finance their operations with more capital and less debt, and they have to keep more cash on hand. But the new deregulation bill would raise that minimum definition of big banks to $250 billion in assets - which means even huge regional players like BB&T and Regions Bank would no longer have to follow the tougher Dodd-Frank rules. Foreign conglomerates with trillions of dollars in global assets like Deutsche Bank, Credit Suisse and UBS would also be exempted from U.S. enforcement of big bank standards, since they keep less than $250 billion of their assets in the United States. “It’s a whose-side-are-you-on moment,” said Brown. “Are you with the big banks and the Wall Street operators who wrecked the economy and got big bailouts, or are you with families and workers? ... There is collective amnesia on Capitol Hill about what happened 10 years ago.” During the financial crisis of 2008 and 2009, a host of banks in the $100 billion to $200 billion range rushed into emergency acquisitions that ended with huge bailouts. Bank of America acquired Countrywide under duress, before the combined firm received a massive slate of taxpayer aid. GMAC, a major auto lender now known as Ally Bank, received several rounds of government help. “Clearly the distress or failure of some of these banks could trigger reactions spreading broadly to the financial system,” former Federal Reserve Chair Paul Volcker wrote in a letter to Brown highlighting the risks of rolling back oversight of “several large foreign banks.” Volcker suggested that a $100 billion threshold would be more appropriate. But for Warren and some other progressive Democrats, the bill looks like a solution in search of a problem. Dodd-Frank isn’t strangling large banks. They’re enormously profitable at the moment, and they were among the biggest beneficiaries of the tax bill Trump signed last year. “To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the financial crisis, some Democrats are joining Republicans to pass a bill that will deregulate 30 of the 40 largest banks in the country that received a combined $50 billion in bailout money,” Warren told HuffPost. “This is not the work we should be doing.” https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/democrats-banks-racial-discrimination_us_5a96e489e4b0e6a523042fc8
Bill Dix resigning from posts as Majority Leader and Iowa State Senator following release of incriminating video DES MOINES - Senate Majority Leader Bill Dix, an 18-year veteran of the Iowa Legislature, abruptly resigned his leadership and District 25 position Monday in the wake of a video posted online that appeared to show the Shell Rock Republican kissing a female lobbyist at a Des Moines bar. In a short statement, Dix announced his resignation as majority leader and state senator, effective at 2 p.m. Monday. He sent a resignation letter to Iowa Senate President Jack Whitver, R-Ankeny, and House Speaker Linda Upmeyer, R-Clear Lake, in accordance with Iowa Code requirement. Senate President Jack Whitver, R-Ankeny, declined to comment after a closed-door caucus of the 29-member Senate GOP majority. But his office issued a statement confirming Dix’s departure. “I believe he made the right decision for himself and for his district, but most importantly, I believe he made the decision in the best interest of his family,” Whitver said in his statement. “Senate Republicans will continue to move the policies Iowans elected us to pursue,” Whitver added. “After discussions with the Republican caucus this afternoon, an election to fill the position of Iowa Senate majority leader will be held on Wednesday.” Dix, a third-generation farmer who was born and raised on his family farm near Janesville, met with fellow Republicans for about 15 minutes behind closed doors in a Senate committee room where a farmer, met with fellow Republicans for about 15 minutes behind closed doors in a Senate committee room where staffers had placed a large white board in front of the glass window to keep TV cameras, reporters or others from seeing in the room. Sen. Charles Schneider, R-West Des Moines, filled in for Dix at the start of Monday’s session and the majority leader did not make any public comments during the day’s proceedings. “He did the right thing for himself, for his family and for Iowans today and I think as a caucus we’ll move forward,” said Sen. Rick Bertrand, R-Sioux City, who attended the meeting. “As a caucus we’re going to move forward.” [...] http://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/government/bill-dix-resigning-from-posts-as-majority-leader-and-iowa-state-senator-following-release-of-incriminating-video-20180312
Video Appears To Show Bill Dix In Romantic Relationship With Lobbyist
Video Appears To Show Bill Dix In Relationship With Lobbyist Iowa Starting Line A video shot on a camera phone appears to show Iowa Senate Majority Leader Bill Dix in a romantic relationship with a Statehouse lobbyist. Video taken at Waveland Tap in Des Moines on March 1, 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnRfOJyo-7w
What you need to know about Novichok, the Russian nerve agent used to poison ex-spy Sergei Skripal Double agent Sergei Skripal was poisoned with nerve agent Novichok, Theresa May has said. •Novichok nerve agents are Cold War-era chemical weapons, up to ten times more deadly than the notorious XV nerve agent used in other assassinations. http://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-novichok-nerve-agent-2018-3
Rod Rosenstein: Special counsel 'not an unguided missile' Washington (CNN) - Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein offered full-throated support for special counsel Robert Mueller and defended his investigation into Russian election meddling as it weathers criticism in an interview with USA Today published Monday. "The special counsel is not an unguided missile," Rosenstein told the newspaper. "I don't believe there is any justification at this point for terminating the special counsel." Mueller has been in the crosshairs of President Donald Trump and Republican critics as his probe has unfolded and grown since beginning under Rosenstein's direction in May. The endorsement from Rosenstein, who has oversight of the probe given the recusal of Attorney General Jeff Sessions from matters related to the election, came after reports earlier in the year that Trump had tried to fire Mueller last summer. Rosenstein also appeared unfazed by attacks by Trump against him and the wider integrity of the Justice Department, USA Today reported. Four sources told CNN in January that Trump had been venting about Rosenstein in private, and a Tea Party-aligned group spent six figures last month on an advertisement that slammed him as a "weak careerist." "I believe much of the criticism will fall by the wayside when people reflect on this era and the Department of Justice," Rosenstein said Monday, not referring to Trump directly. "I'm very confident that when the history of this era is written, it will reflect that the department was operated with integrity." [...] https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/12/politics/rod-rosenstein-interview-mueller/index.html
Lead exposure linked to 412,000 premature deaths in US each year, study finds New research suggests exposure to traces of lead may be linked to as many deaths as smoking Exposure to traces of lead in petrol, paint and old plumbing may be linked to hundreds of thousands of premature deaths each year, according to new research. As many as 412,000 Americans die prematurely every year - mostly from cardiovascular disease - due to historic exposure to low levels of the toxic metal, a US study suggests. The figure is 10 times more than previously thought and could put deaths from lead exposure on par with smoking. [...] http://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/lead-exposure-linked-412000-premature-deaths-heart-disease-us-the-lancet-study-a8252791.html
Muscle loss in old age linked to fewer nerve signals Researchers say they may have worked out why there is a natural loss of muscle in the legs as people age - and that it is due to a loss of nerves. http://www.bbc.com/news/health-43347409
How ancient humans survived global ‘volcanic winter’ from massive eruption About 74,000 years ago, a colossal volcano in Sumatra named Toba blew its top in the largest eruption to occur anywhere on Earth in the past 2 million years. Gas and ashes spewed into the atmosphere spread around the world within weeks, and some scientists think they triggered a global “volcanic winter” that may have lasted decades, leading to massive die-offs and the near-extinction of the human species. But others have suggested that the eruption’s effects were less dramatic. Now, subtle traces of volcanic ash at Pinnacle Point, a famous archaeological site on the southern coast of South Africa, suggest that at least some groups of early humans survived, and even thrived, in the eruption’s aftermath. The discovery also offers archaeologists an astonishingly precise time marker for dating sites around the globe. When Toba erupted, modern humans had already traveled out of Africa to at least the Middle East and perhaps beyond. Some researchers have proposed that Toba’s eruption was big enough to cause a reverse greenhouse effect that cooled Earth for decades, leading to ecological disaster and widespread food shortages that only a few small communities were able to survive. (Volcanoes spew sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere, which can form aerosols that reflect the sun’s rays.) But the theory is hotly debated. Sediments from Lake Malawi, in eastern Africa, for example, don’t show evidence for a dramatic change in plant life around the time of the eruption. [...] http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/03/how-ancient-humans-survived-global-volcanic-winter-massive-eruption study http://www.nature.com/articles/nature25967
Enormous [or not] magnetic storm to strike Earth this weekend; huge [or not] impact on humans and telecommunication [VIDEO] ( https://youtu.be/ghi4Qk8fY2c [since gone dark],