Month: January 2017

U.S. scrambles to clear egg exports to bird flu-hit Korea

U.S. officials are urgently seeking an agreement with South Korea that would allow imports of American eggs so farmers can cash in on a shortage caused by the Asian country’s worst-ever outbreak of bird flu. The two sides are negotiating over terms of potential shipments after South Korea lifted a ban on imports of U.S. table eggs that it imposed when the United States grappled with its own bout of bird flu last year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The Return of Civil Disobedience

The Return of Civil Disobedience – The sixties produced a conviction that “democracy is in the streets.” The Trump era may echo that. – On December 6th, less than a month after the election, Vice-President Joe Biden, who was in New York to receive the Robert F. Kennedy Ripple of Hope Award

35 Russian diplomats expelled by Obama leave US

The State Department has confirmed that the 35 Russian diplomats President Barack Obama ordered out of the country have departed the United States. The State Department has confirmed that the 35 Russian diplomats President Barack Obama ordered out of the country have departed the United States.

AFL Footy Show’s Billy Brownless poses with Sam Newman at Shane Warne’s NYE party

Diva singer’s aides claim faulty earpiece caused Times Square lip-sync disaster – and accuse TV execs of disabling equipment on PURPOSE to create a scandal and boost their audience figures Will a BAG solve the mystery of what happened to six missing plane passengers who vanished over Lake Eerie? Police find luggage in hunt for family of four and their two friends What 2017 means for YOUR love life: A thrilling alignment between Jupiter and Uranus promises magic, reveals OSCAR CAINER in an unmissable series Stand up during the TV commercials and eat purple… just two of an Oxford professor’s essential tips to help anyone over 40 stay fit and well into old age Rosie O’Donnell calls Trump ‘mentally unstable’ on Twitter and warns America that there are ‘less than three weeks to stop him’ ‘No computer is safe,’ warns Trump as he explains how he writes important information down and sends it … (more)

Roxy Jacenko flaunts her SUPER toned abs in a scarlet bikini in Hawaii

Diva singer’s aides claim faulty earpiece caused Times Square lip-sync disaster – and accuse TV execs of disabling equipment on PURPOSE to create a scandal and boost their audience figures Will a BAG solve the mystery of what happened to six missing plane passengers who vanished over Lake Eerie? Police find luggage in hunt for family of four and their two friends What 2017 means for YOUR love life: A thrilling alignment between Jupiter and Uranus promises magic, reveals OSCAR CAINER in an unmissable series Stand up during the TV commercials and eat purple… just two of an Oxford professor’s essential tips to help anyone over 40 stay fit and well into old age Rosie O’Donnell calls Trump ‘mentally unstable’ on Twitter and warns America that there are ‘less than three weeks to stop him’ ‘No computer is safe,’ warns Trump as he explains how he writes important information down and sends it … (more)

Fear the well to 2016

As usual, the year’s end brings reflections and ruminations on what was and what is to be. This time around, however, it feels as though an era is coming to an end.

Rule 5 Sunday: Happy New Year

As for me, well, a driver drives. Today’s appetizer is Kate Beckinsale, perhaps best known as the star of the Underworld movies, which appear to be about a war between vampires and werewolves, but as Daddy Warpig says, “If you’re watching Underworld for the plot, YOU’RE WATCHING IT WRONG.”

What Others Say: Trump must learn nuance of foreign policy

In a solemn recent ceremony, Shinzo Abe became the first Japanese prime minister to visit the memorial at Pearl Harbor that honors the nearly 2,400 service members killed in his nation’s sneak attack 75 years ago that plunged America into World War II. He didn’t apologize, but offered condolences – just as Barack Obama did in May, when he became the first sitting U.S. president to visit the memorial in Hiroshima to those killed in the 1945 atomic bombing that hastened Japan’s surrender.

Democrats Will Target 8 of Trump’s Cabinet Picks

Washington Post : “Incoming Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer has told Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell that Democrats will home in especially on Rex Tillerson, Trump’s choice for secretary of state; Sen. Jeff Sessions , his pick for attorney general; Rep. Mick Mulvaney , tapped to lead the Office of Management and Budget; and Betsy DeVos, selected to serve as education secretary.” “There’s also Rep. Tom Price , Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services and oversee changes to Obamacare, who is expected to be attacked by Democrats for his support for privatizing Medicare.

Obama Using Russia as Cudgel Against Trump

The Republican establishment is being stampeded by the Obama Administration into unwittingly supporting the false narrative that “Russia hacked the elections” – and therefore President-elect Trump’s victory is illegitimate. By extension, Republican victories from Trump’s “coattails” in the Senate and House are also illegitimate, an argument the Left and their media allies are also sure to make.

Chicago had more homicides in 2016 than NYC and LA combined

One of the most violent years in Chicago history ended Sunday with a sobering tally: 762 homicides, the most in two decades in the city and more than New York and Los Angeles combined. The nation’s third largest city also saw 1,100 more shooting incidents than it did in 2015, according to statistics released by the Chicago Police Department.

Blumenthal convenes roundtable on toxic exposures

At 1 p.m. Monday at the American Legion Post 96 in West Hartford, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal will convene a roundtable discussion with veterans from all service eras on exposures to toxic substances during military service and the long-term health effects on veterans and their descendants, which can include birth defects, learning disabilities, and cancer. The discussion follows passage of legislation authored by Blumenthal to enhance research into the impacts of toxic exposure, “Veterans and their families have made extraordinary sacrifices, and yet decades later, can still feel the devastating, debilitating effects of exposure to toxic chemicals,” Blumenthal said in a news release.

Trump promises big reveal on Russian hacks this week

Sean Spicer, President-elect Donald Trump’s press secretary, batted away questions on ABC’s “This Week” about the supposed intervention of Russia in the presidential election by arguing that the current focus should be on the conduct of Hillary Clinton’s failed presidential campaign. “Why aren’t we talking about the other influences on the election? Why aren’t we talking about Hillary Clinton getting debate questions ahead of time?” Spicer said.

Thomas L. Friedman: Netanyahu Makes Trump His Chump

For those of you confused over the latest fight between President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu of Israel, let me make it simple: Barack Obama and John Kerry admire and want to preserve Israel as a Jewish and democratic state in the Land of Israel. I have covered this issue my entire adult life and have never met two U.S. leaders more committed to Israel as a Jewish democracy.

Liberal groups want delay of Sessions hearing

MAY 20: Sen. Jeff Sessions speaks at the National Rifle Association’s NRA-ILA Leadership Forum during the NRA Convention at the Kentucky Exposition Center on May 20, 2016 in Louisville, Kentucky. The convention, which opened today, runs May 22. Liberal groups are calling for a delay in Sen. Jeff Sessions’ confirmation hearings for the post of attorney general, citing gaps in his record that the Alabama Republican didn’t address in a questionnaire sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Dershowitz: I’ll Leave Democratic Party If Ellison Becomes DNC Chair

While Alan Dershowitz is a staunch liberal, he’s threatening to leave the Democratic Party should Rep. Keith Ellison become the next chairman for the national committee. Dershowitz, a renowned attorney and Israel supporter, said he would resign due to Ellison’s positions on the Israeli-Palestinian issue and his association with Louis Farrakhan : Speaking on Fox Business, Dershowitz said there is a divide in the Democratic Party over Jewish issues, particularly the support of Israel, or lack thereof, offered by the Obama administration.

Get Used To It

Given the high degree of partisan divide following the US election, a discomfiting fact is that Donald Trump is likely to espouse many responsible positions in his role as president, even if he can’t make the case for them himself. This confusing state of affairs has not become obvious yet.

Donald Trump still not sold on Russian link to hacking – but he is…

President-elect Donald Trump says that “no computer is safe” when it comes to keeping information private, expressing new skepticism about the security of online communications his administration is likely to use for everything from day-to-day planning to international relations. “You know, if you have something really important, write it out and have it delivered by courier, the old-fashioned way,” Trump told reporters during his annual New Year’s Eve bash.

Plane collision leaves 3 dead near McKinney

According to WFAA , the two planes collided mid-air near Aero Country Airport, in the 500 block of North Custer Road, just after 5:30 p.m. Federal Aviation Administration spokesman, Lynn Lunsford, said that ” both aircraft were flying under Visual Flight Rules and were not in contact with air traffic control at the time of the collision.” Police are asking people to stay away from Custer and Virginia as they investigate.

Economically weak, politically fragile: Putin won 2016, but Russia has its limits as a superpower

In a New Year’s address that came off like a victory lap, Russian President Vladimir Putin thanked his country Saturday in the wake of a wildly successful 2016 that saw the Kremlin leader shore up Russia’s standing abroad and acquire a host of powerful geopolitical friends. Putin heads into 2017 on a strong note, having brokered a cease-fire in Syria that sidelined the United States and having won the praise of President-elect Donald Trump by declining to retaliate in response to President Barack Obama’s administration’s decision to punish Moscow over its alleged interference in the U.S. election.

Cleveland Browns Secure First Pick in NFL Draft

Los Angeles residents woke up to the new year with an oddly altered landmark.The iconic Hollywood sign, a cultural landmark since its creation in 1923, … –A manhunt is underway in Turkey for a gunman who went on a rampage inside a crowded Istanbul nightclub during New Year’s Eve celebrations early Sunday morning, ki… Aside from the cattle market and a continued battle with property taxes, Nebraska Cattlemen looks back at 2016 seeing some major accomplishments. Almost a year ago, in Janu… COLLEGE PARK, Md.

The Rotarian Conversation with Ban Ki-moon

One of United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s earliest memories is of fleeing with his family into the mountains during the Korean War, his village burning behind him. His father and grandfather had to forage for food in the woods; his mother gave birth to his siblings away from anything remotely resembling a health facility.

2017 to be year of massive change in Washington

Washington is bracing for a year of breakneck change as President-elect Trump and a new Congress take office with a jam-packed agenda ahead. “Look, I can tell you what I got out of Donald Trump today is, this is a man of action,” said House Speaker Paul Ryan after a post-election meeting.

Trump Still Questions Russian Role in Hacking, Wants Intelligence Community ‘to Be Sure’

Malware associated with Russian hackers was found on a computer belonging to a utility company in Vermont, according to the company.After being alerted la… –A manhunt is underway in Turkey for a gunman who went on a rampage inside a crowded Istanbul nightclub during New Year’s Eve celebrations early Sunday morning, ki… Aside from the cattle market and a continued battle with property taxes, Nebraska Cattlemen looks back at 2016 seeing some major accomplishments.

Russia pledges reprisals for US hacking punishment

Moscow – Russia on Friday eyed retaliatory measures against the US after President Barack Obama kicked out dozens of suspected intelligence agents and imposed sanctions in a furious dispute over alleged election interference. The barrage of punishment against Moscow over cyber attacks dragged ties between Russia and the United States – already at their worst since the Cold War – to a fresh low less than a month ahead of President-elect Donald Trump taking charge.

Obama sanctions Russia for U.S. election meddling

PanARMENIAN.Net – President Barack Obama on Thursday, December 29 unleashed a barrage of retaliatory measures against Moscow for meddling in the U.S.election, imposing sanctions on two intelligence agencies, expelling 35 agents and shuttering two Russian compounds inside the United States, AFP reports. Making good on a promise to punish Vladimir Putin’s government for allegedly trying to tilt the 2016 election in Donald Trump’s favor, Obama unveiled a broad range of steps that will inflame tensions with both Moscow and the president-elect.

Trump pledges to meet U.S. spy chiefs for Russian hacking facts

PanARMENIAN.Net – U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday, December 29 responded to a slew of U.S. election related sanctions against Russia with a call for the country to “move on” and a conciliatory pledge to meet U.S. spy chiefs he has harshly criticized, AFP says. “It’s time for our country to move on to bigger and better things,” Trump said, echoing previous prickly reactions to allegations his November win over Hillary Clinton was somehow tainted by Russian interference.

4 dead in southern Illinois small plane crash

News selected on topics and regions – oil and gas, business, politics, IT, the South Caucasus, the Caspian Sea region, Central Asia Ranking of the Azerbaijani banking sector Authorities in southern Illinois say four people died New Year’s Eve after a single-engine plane crashed in a wooded area, AP reported. Johnson County Coroner David Rockwell says he pronounced the two men and two women dead at about 8:15 p.m. on Saturday at the scene of the crash.

Judge Halts Enforcement of Federal Protections for Transgender Healthcare Services

The Human Rights Campaign , the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer civil rights organization, responded to a federal judge’s decision yesterday to issue an injunction blocking enforcement of federal protections set to go into effect today barring discrimination in healthcare services based on an individual’s gender identity, as well as reproductive health services.

L.A. bans criminal record inquiries in hiring, even for non-L.A. employers

“Not to be outdone by San Francisco or New York City, the City of Los Angeles has enacted the strictest ‘ban the box’ ordinance in the country, and its many requirements are detailed and onerous.Notably, the employer need not be located within the city” to be covered, provided it has “10 or more employees who perform an average of at least two hours of work each week in the City of Los Angeles.”