The United States on Tuesday pledged a total of $10.6 billion to Mexico and Central America.
This comes on the same day White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders announced there will be no shutdownover border wall funding.
The AP reported:
The United States pledged $5.8 billion in aid Tuesday for strengthening government and economic development in Central America, and another $4.8 billion in development aid for southern Mexico.
The U.S aid aims to promote better security conditions and job opportunities as part of a regional plan to allow Central Americans to remain in their countries and not have to emigrate.
The plan was announced in a joint U.S.-Mexican statement released by the State Department and read aloud by Mexican Foreign Relations Secretary Marcelo Ebrard in the Mexican capital.
“In sum I think this is good news, very good news for Mexico,” Ebrard said.
There are currently at least four illegal migrant caravans on their way the US southern border with Mexico.
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DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Friday, December 21, 2018
Activists who Abused, Cursed and Spit on Florida AG Pam Bondi - Belong to Group that Received 0K From Soros Org!
In June 2018 Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi was harassed, cursed, threatened and spit on as she attended a movie at a Florida theater.
Bondi spoke with FOX and Friends on Monday after after being verbally assaulted, threatened and bullied by raging leftists at a movie theater on Saturday night.
Bondi, the popular Attorney General from the great state of Florida, has been a long-time target of unhinged left. She told FOX and Friends “three huge guys” came up to her and started screaming at her and cursing her an inch from her face. The violent leftists then turned on her boyfriend and tried to provoke him into a physical altercation.
Bondi told FOX and Friends one of the men spit on her while he was screaming. Bondi added that she did not know if this was intentional but occurred because he was screaming so close to her face.
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Bondi spoke with FOX and Friends on Monday after after being verbally assaulted, threatened and bullied by raging leftists at a movie theater on Saturday night.
Bondi, the popular Attorney General from the great state of Florida, has been a long-time target of unhinged left. She told FOX and Friends “three huge guys” came up to her and started screaming at her and cursing her an inch from her face. The violent leftists then turned on her boyfriend and tried to provoke him into a physical altercation.
Bondi told FOX and Friends one of the men spit on her while he was screaming. Bondi added that she did not know if this was intentional but occurred because he was screaming so close to her face.
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Redskins safety Montae Nicholson arrested for assault and public intoxication
Washington Redskins safety Montae Nicholson was arrested Tuesday morning after he and a woman attacked another couple, and was subsequently charged with assault and battery, as well as being drunk in public.
According to a report by the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office in Virginia, deputies were called to a local retail and residential development around 2 a.m. Tuesday morning to break up a fight. They found two victims, a man and a woman, who were reportedly assaulted by Nicholson, 23, and 24-year-old Sydney A. Maggiore.
What apparently started as a verbal altercation escalated into a physical fight, according to police. Authorities determined that Nicholson assaulted the man and Maggiore assaulted both the man and the woman, per reports. Police reportedly believe Maggiore may have used a bottle as a weapon against the female, and both victims were taken to the hospital for treatment.
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According to a report by the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office in Virginia, deputies were called to a local retail and residential development around 2 a.m. Tuesday morning to break up a fight. They found two victims, a man and a woman, who were reportedly assaulted by Nicholson, 23, and 24-year-old Sydney A. Maggiore.
What apparently started as a verbal altercation escalated into a physical fight, according to police. Authorities determined that Nicholson assaulted the man and Maggiore assaulted both the man and the woman, per reports. Police reportedly believe Maggiore may have used a bottle as a weapon against the female, and both victims were taken to the hospital for treatment.
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TWO-TIERED JUSTICE: Mike Flynn and Tony Podesta Did Same Work for Turkey, Both Filed Retroactively
It is now clear that there is one set of rules for Republicans and the working man — And there is another set of rules for crooked Democrats
On Tuesday Judge Emmet Sullivan abused and harassed General Michael Flynn in federal court.
Sullivan even suggested Flynn committed treason for his work with Turkey.
This was a national embarrassment.
In October 2017 The Gateway Pundit reported that the Podesta Group somehow managed to file forms with the federal government retroactivelythat were 5 or more years overdue that Paul Manafort was charged for not filing.
The Podestas were tipped off by the Deep State officials.
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On Tuesday Judge Emmet Sullivan abused and harassed General Michael Flynn in federal court.
Sullivan even suggested Flynn committed treason for his work with Turkey.
This was a national embarrassment.
In October 2017 The Gateway Pundit reported that the Podesta Group somehow managed to file forms with the federal government retroactivelythat were 5 or more years overdue that Paul Manafort was charged for not filing.
The Podestas were tipped off by the Deep State officials.
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Victor Davis Hanson: We Are Witnessing a Soft Coup of the Trump Administration
Author and historian Victor Davis Hanson joined Tucker Carlson on Tuesday night after the Flynn court hearing today.
Hanson described the fantastical stories building on the left and the US elite’s unwillingness to accept the results of the 2016 election.
Hanson described it as a soft coup.
Victor Davis Hanson: This Mueller investigation that we have is not in isolation. We had, remember, from the day Trump was elected we were told the election machines were flawed, we were going to sue. And then there was a group, remember we were told about the Electoral College, and we were told we had to overturn the electors. And then we went to the 25th Amendment that Trump was unbalanced. And that didn’t work. And then we went to the emoluments clause, he profited even though his businesses had lost a billion dollars. And then we’ve gone to Mueller. And so there’s a slow motion if you will, I don’t want to be too psychodramatic like MSNBC gets. But there is sort of a slow motion coup to overturn the elections.
He’s right.
More/Video
Hanson described the fantastical stories building on the left and the US elite’s unwillingness to accept the results of the 2016 election.
Hanson described it as a soft coup.
Victor Davis Hanson: This Mueller investigation that we have is not in isolation. We had, remember, from the day Trump was elected we were told the election machines were flawed, we were going to sue. And then there was a group, remember we were told about the Electoral College, and we were told we had to overturn the electors. And then we went to the 25th Amendment that Trump was unbalanced. And that didn’t work. And then we went to the emoluments clause, he profited even though his businesses had lost a billion dollars. And then we’ve gone to Mueller. And so there’s a slow motion if you will, I don’t want to be too psychodramatic like MSNBC gets. But there is sort of a slow motion coup to overturn the elections.
He’s right.
More/Video
Comey Said "Who Cares" When Asked Who Paid For Russia Dossier - Then Falsely Claimed Republicans Paid For It!
On Tuesday, the House Judiciary released transcripts from Comey’s secondclosed-door testimony on Capitol Hill Monday as part of a joint investigation with the House Oversight and Government Reform Committees into the handling of the Clinton email investigation and his involvement in FISAGate.
Comey was defiant and refused to answer questions about the memos he gave to his friend-turned-lawyer Daniel Richman who he authorized to leak to the New York Times.
James Comey also promoted the Democrat talking point — and HUGE LIE that the junk Russia dossier was paid for by Republicans.
Congressman Mark Meadows asked Comey who paid for the junk Russia dossier which was used by the FBI to obtain FISA warrants on Trump campaign advisor Carter Page, and Comey defiantly answered, “Who cares,” then pushed the Democrat lie and said Republicans paid for the dossier.
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Comey was defiant and refused to answer questions about the memos he gave to his friend-turned-lawyer Daniel Richman who he authorized to leak to the New York Times.
James Comey also promoted the Democrat talking point — and HUGE LIE that the junk Russia dossier was paid for by Republicans.
Congressman Mark Meadows asked Comey who paid for the junk Russia dossier which was used by the FBI to obtain FISA warrants on Trump campaign advisor Carter Page, and Comey defiantly answered, “Who cares,” then pushed the Democrat lie and said Republicans paid for the dossier.
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Trump administration claims early success in weaning Europe off Russian energy
The Trump administration is claiming early success in its efforts to get Europe to divest itself from Russian energy, saying recent export agreements with Poland are just the beginning.
“We are starting to see the European Parliament, in particular, take action,” Deputy Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette said in an interview with the Washington Examiner.
Brouillette said that the parliament is beginning to discuss placing new regulations on the Russian Nord Stream II pipeline, which is slated to be built in Germany to supply energy to Europe.
The Trump administrationadamantly opposes the pipeline, pushing instead for Europe to diversify its energy supply with imports of U.S. liquefied natural gas.
The European Parliament passed a resolution on Dec. 12 that says the pipeline “poses a threat to European energy security.” On the same day, the U.S. House passed a bipartisan resolution opposing the pipeline. Brouillette claimed that, after initial resistance from Germany, European nations are becoming more willing to view the pipeline in a geostrategic light.
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“We are starting to see the European Parliament, in particular, take action,” Deputy Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette said in an interview with the Washington Examiner.
Brouillette said that the parliament is beginning to discuss placing new regulations on the Russian Nord Stream II pipeline, which is slated to be built in Germany to supply energy to Europe.
The Trump administrationadamantly opposes the pipeline, pushing instead for Europe to diversify its energy supply with imports of U.S. liquefied natural gas.
The European Parliament passed a resolution on Dec. 12 that says the pipeline “poses a threat to European energy security.” On the same day, the U.S. House passed a bipartisan resolution opposing the pipeline. Brouillette claimed that, after initial resistance from Germany, European nations are becoming more willing to view the pipeline in a geostrategic light.
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McCain associate shared unverified Steele dossier with Buzzfeed, court filing says
An associate of the late Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain shared with Buzzfeed News a copy of the unverified, salacious opposition research dossier alleging that Russians had compromising material on President Trump, according to a bombshell federal court filing Wednesday.
McCain had strenuously denied being the source for Buzzfeed after it published the dossier, which was funded by the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign. In recent days, the dossier's credibility has increasingly come under question, as the Yahoo News investigative reporter who broke news of its existence said many of its claims were "likely false," and an adviser to ex-Trump lawyer Michael Cohen said Cohen never went to Prague to pay off Russian hackers, as alleged in the dossier.
Nevertheless, the FBI extensively relied on the dossier in its warrant applications to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) court in seeking to surveil Trump aide Carter Page. On four occasions, the FBI also incorrectly suggested to the FISA court that the Yahoo reporter, Michael Isikoff, had written an article that provided an independent basis to surveil Page -- even though London court records revealed Isikoff was, in fact, relying on the leaks from the dossier's author. (Page, who has not been charged with wrongdoing, is now suing the DNC for defamation.)
Earlier this year, Fox News reported that a top McCain associate, David Kramer, had been briefed on the dossier written by British ex-spy Christopher Steele in late November 2016 in Surrey, England. Kramer invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination to avoid testifying before House Republicans about his handling of the dossier.
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McCain had strenuously denied being the source for Buzzfeed after it published the dossier, which was funded by the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign. In recent days, the dossier's credibility has increasingly come under question, as the Yahoo News investigative reporter who broke news of its existence said many of its claims were "likely false," and an adviser to ex-Trump lawyer Michael Cohen said Cohen never went to Prague to pay off Russian hackers, as alleged in the dossier.
Nevertheless, the FBI extensively relied on the dossier in its warrant applications to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) court in seeking to surveil Trump aide Carter Page. On four occasions, the FBI also incorrectly suggested to the FISA court that the Yahoo reporter, Michael Isikoff, had written an article that provided an independent basis to surveil Page -- even though London court records revealed Isikoff was, in fact, relying on the leaks from the dossier's author. (Page, who has not been charged with wrongdoing, is now suing the DNC for defamation.)
Earlier this year, Fox News reported that a top McCain associate, David Kramer, had been briefed on the dossier written by British ex-spy Christopher Steele in late November 2016 in Surrey, England. Kramer invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination to avoid testifying before House Republicans about his handling of the dossier.
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Maryland Joins Fight to Stop Seismic Testing in the Atlantic
Hogan Administration Takes Legal Actions Against Federal Government
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Larry Hogan today authorized the State of Maryland to file a lawsuit against the federal government aimed at preventing seismic testing for offshore oil exploration off Maryland’s Atlantic coast.
“As governor, I take my role as a steward of our environment extremely seriously. We have made incredible progress in improving our air and water quality standards, and we are not going to let misguided policies from the federal government jeopardize our hard work,” said Governor Hogan. “Maryland will continue to fight against this sort of federal government overreach that threatens our natural resources and coastal communities.”
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources, represented by Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh, joined a multi-state legal action against the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration over its November authorization of seismic testing. Maryland has consistently voiced opposition to seismic testing, along with offshore oil and gas development and exploration. Governor Hogan had previously directed the attorney general to “commence and prosecute any viable legal claims, actions, or suits against the U.S. government to prevent” drilling off of Maryland’s shore in a letter on January 4, 2018.
Maryland Natural Resources Secretary Mark Belton joined Attorney General Frosh at a press conference announcing the state’s participation in the lawsuit. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has repeatedly expressed concern about the individual and cumulative impacts to marine species and habitats that may result from geological and geophysical surveys in the Atlantic, including in a letter from Secretary Belton to NOAA officials issued today.
"Maryland remains steadfast in its opposition to offshore oil and gas development and exploration in the Atlantic Ocean due to the fact that it unnecessarily endangers marine life and water quality, and exposes our communities and commerce to harm,” said Secretary Belton. “We strongly believe that these actions by the federal government pose greater risk than we are willing to assume in the backyard of one of our nation's most iconic natural places - the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays."
The lawsuit, filed in South Carolina, asserts that the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) violated the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the National Environmental Policy Act when it issued Incidental Harassment Authorizations to five companies on November 30, 2018.
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Larry Hogan today authorized the State of Maryland to file a lawsuit against the federal government aimed at preventing seismic testing for offshore oil exploration off Maryland’s Atlantic coast.
“As governor, I take my role as a steward of our environment extremely seriously. We have made incredible progress in improving our air and water quality standards, and we are not going to let misguided policies from the federal government jeopardize our hard work,” said Governor Hogan. “Maryland will continue to fight against this sort of federal government overreach that threatens our natural resources and coastal communities.”
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources, represented by Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh, joined a multi-state legal action against the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration over its November authorization of seismic testing. Maryland has consistently voiced opposition to seismic testing, along with offshore oil and gas development and exploration. Governor Hogan had previously directed the attorney general to “commence and prosecute any viable legal claims, actions, or suits against the U.S. government to prevent” drilling off of Maryland’s shore in a letter on January 4, 2018.
Maryland Natural Resources Secretary Mark Belton joined Attorney General Frosh at a press conference announcing the state’s participation in the lawsuit. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has repeatedly expressed concern about the individual and cumulative impacts to marine species and habitats that may result from geological and geophysical surveys in the Atlantic, including in a letter from Secretary Belton to NOAA officials issued today.
"Maryland remains steadfast in its opposition to offshore oil and gas development and exploration in the Atlantic Ocean due to the fact that it unnecessarily endangers marine life and water quality, and exposes our communities and commerce to harm,” said Secretary Belton. “We strongly believe that these actions by the federal government pose greater risk than we are willing to assume in the backyard of one of our nation's most iconic natural places - the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays."
The lawsuit, filed in South Carolina, asserts that the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) violated the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the National Environmental Policy Act when it issued Incidental Harassment Authorizations to five companies on November 30, 2018.
Judge Sullivan of Flynn Fame Just Blocked Trump's Asylum Crackdown - Demands Deported Aliens Under Policy Be Brought Back!
Boy, were we wrong about this guy!
On Tuesday Judge Emmet Sullivan dressed down military hero General Michael Flynn in federal court. Sullivan called Flynn a man who “sold out his country” and committed “treason.” He later walked back the treason part but the damage was already done.
On Wednesday Judge Emmet Sullivan blocked President Trump’s asylum crackdown and ordered deported illegal aliens to be brought back.
He was supposed to be the ‘good’ DC judge. Boy, were we fooled.
The Washington Times reported:
A federal judge blocked the Trump administration’s attempts to speed up deportations for people with bogus asylum claims, ruling Wednesday that the president and his team had gone beyond what Congress intended.
Judge Emmet G. Sullivan — who a day earlier had excoriated former Trump National Security Adviser Michael Flynn — ordered the government to allow migrants with iffy claims to be given a full chance to make their case for asylum.
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On Tuesday Judge Emmet Sullivan dressed down military hero General Michael Flynn in federal court. Sullivan called Flynn a man who “sold out his country” and committed “treason.” He later walked back the treason part but the damage was already done.
On Wednesday Judge Emmet Sullivan blocked President Trump’s asylum crackdown and ordered deported illegal aliens to be brought back.
He was supposed to be the ‘good’ DC judge. Boy, were we fooled.
The Washington Times reported:
A federal judge blocked the Trump administration’s attempts to speed up deportations for people with bogus asylum claims, ruling Wednesday that the president and his team had gone beyond what Congress intended.
Judge Emmet G. Sullivan — who a day earlier had excoriated former Trump National Security Adviser Michael Flynn — ordered the government to allow migrants with iffy claims to be given a full chance to make their case for asylum.
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'This is a fumble': Mark Meadows rips Trump, GOP for border wall failure
Rep. Mark Meadows said Thursday that President Trump and congressional Republicans blew their chance at getting a border wall by failing to insist on billions in new funding.
Meadows, R-N.C., said on Fox News that conservatives believe Trump is a fighter, but is getting "bad advice" on the border wall. Meadows and other conservatives want Trump to veto a short-term spending bill this week because it doesn't include border wall funding.
"They believe that he's getting bad advice," Meadows said of how conservatives view Trump. "They know that he's promised not once, not twice but three different times that he would get border wall funding, and here we are about to punt."
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Meadows, R-N.C., said on Fox News that conservatives believe Trump is a fighter, but is getting "bad advice" on the border wall. Meadows and other conservatives want Trump to veto a short-term spending bill this week because it doesn't include border wall funding.
"They believe that he's getting bad advice," Meadows said of how conservatives view Trump. "They know that he's promised not once, not twice but three different times that he would get border wall funding, and here we are about to punt."
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OPINION: You Can’t Drain the Swamp Without Making It Easier To Fire Federal Bureaucrats
In 2016, American voters thought they were electing a president, not millions of bureaucrats.
When President Trump called for the ability “to reward good workers and to remove federal employees who undermine the public trust or fail the American people” in his State of the Union speech early this year, few Americans likely realize what a huge departure that would be from the current federal bureaucracy. In fact, under our current civil service laws, what seems like a very basic promise is totally unachievable.
In 1849, Lincoln emphasized the importance of the connection between the elected president and the policies carried out by his administration in a letter about then-President Zachary Taylor. “The appointments [of federal employees] need be no better than they have been, but the public must be brought to understand that they are the president’s appointments.” In other words, democracy’s relevance depends on the direct chain of command from the voters to the officials they elect, and from them to those who carry out the policies the candidate promised.
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When President Trump called for the ability “to reward good workers and to remove federal employees who undermine the public trust or fail the American people” in his State of the Union speech early this year, few Americans likely realize what a huge departure that would be from the current federal bureaucracy. In fact, under our current civil service laws, what seems like a very basic promise is totally unachievable.
In 1849, Lincoln emphasized the importance of the connection between the elected president and the policies carried out by his administration in a letter about then-President Zachary Taylor. “The appointments [of federal employees] need be no better than they have been, but the public must be brought to understand that they are the president’s appointments.” In other words, democracy’s relevance depends on the direct chain of command from the voters to the officials they elect, and from them to those who carry out the policies the candidate promised.
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Mother accused of shooting dead her 14-year-old daughter as she was on the phone to 911
A woman from Washington state has been accused of shooting and killing her 14-year-old daughter as the teenager desperately tried to call 911 during a domestic disturbance.
Svetlana Laurel, 52, of Kent, Washington has been arrested and charged in the death of 14-uear-old Natalie Gulizia.
Natalie called 911 on Tuesday night to report a domestic dispute between her mother and father as the pair fought downstairs.
But as she was on the phone to the emergency services, her life was cut short by allegedly by her mother who shot her in the head in a moment of madness.
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Svetlana Laurel, 52, of Kent, Washington has been arrested and charged in the death of 14-uear-old Natalie Gulizia.
Natalie called 911 on Tuesday night to report a domestic dispute between her mother and father as the pair fought downstairs.
But as she was on the phone to the emergency services, her life was cut short by allegedly by her mother who shot her in the head in a moment of madness.
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'Porch pirate' father who used his daughter, five, to steal package from Maryland home is identified
Maryland police are hunting for a man whose five-year-old daughter was caught on camera brazenly stealing a package from a home last month.
Gary Martin Smith, 46, is facing charges of theft under $100, conspiracy to commit theft, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and fourth-degree burglary after police say he instructed the young girl to snatch the box off the porch at a home in Bel Air on November 30.
The Harford County Sheriff's Office issued a warrant for Smith's arrest and shared his photo on social media Wednesday after his daughter was identified by an anonymous tipster.
He has been charged but has not yet been apprehended as of Thursday morning.
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Gary Martin Smith, 46, is facing charges of theft under $100, conspiracy to commit theft, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and fourth-degree burglary after police say he instructed the young girl to snatch the box off the porch at a home in Bel Air on November 30.
The Harford County Sheriff's Office issued a warrant for Smith's arrest and shared his photo on social media Wednesday after his daughter was identified by an anonymous tipster.
He has been charged but has not yet been apprehended as of Thursday morning.
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An Inconvenient Truth For Al Gore: The Ice Is Still There
Former Vice President Al Gore made a ruckus at the COP15 climate conference in December 2009 when he said that “some of the models say that there is a 75% chance that Arctic sea ice could be completely gone during part of the summer in only five to seven years.”
Now, nine years later, the ice is still there, just like the moderate scientists predicted.
It wasn’t just this prophesy that failed abysmally. The legacy media has not reported on it, but most alarmist predictions have failed. The earth did not warm significantly in the last two decades, a phenomenon that scientists refer to as the “pause” or “hiatus” in warming, and the weather has not been getting more extreme. Currently, the climate science community is in the awkward space between recognizing that warming has slowed down and acknowledging that this implies that the computer models are wrong.
Incompetence
President Donald Trump has referred to global warming as a “hoax.” While this, as many of his other statements, is inaccurate, it is directionally true. It did not start as a hoax. Highly ideologically motivated scientists inserted themselves at the center of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). They wanted to be right, and therefore made a few shortcuts.
Until around 2000, the IPCC was still heavily influenced by objective scientists. But in 1999, Dr. Michael Mann published a paper with a graph that became the poster boy of climate alarmism: The Hockey Stick Graph.
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Now, nine years later, the ice is still there, just like the moderate scientists predicted.
It wasn’t just this prophesy that failed abysmally. The legacy media has not reported on it, but most alarmist predictions have failed. The earth did not warm significantly in the last two decades, a phenomenon that scientists refer to as the “pause” or “hiatus” in warming, and the weather has not been getting more extreme. Currently, the climate science community is in the awkward space between recognizing that warming has slowed down and acknowledging that this implies that the computer models are wrong.
Incompetence
President Donald Trump has referred to global warming as a “hoax.” While this, as many of his other statements, is inaccurate, it is directionally true. It did not start as a hoax. Highly ideologically motivated scientists inserted themselves at the center of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). They wanted to be right, and therefore made a few shortcuts.
Until around 2000, the IPCC was still heavily influenced by objective scientists. But in 1999, Dr. Michael Mann published a paper with a graph that became the poster boy of climate alarmism: The Hockey Stick Graph.
More
Trump administration will make millions of able-bodied Americans get jobs or lose their food stamps
The Trump administration will force millions of able-bodied Americans who receive food stamp benefits to obtain steady jobs if they want the benefits to continue.
That's an idea that Congress nixed just days ago, leaving it out of a 5-year Farm Bill that President Donald Trump signed into law Thursday.
The $400 billion law reauthorized agriculture and conservation programs, and left the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which serves roughly 44 million Americans, virtually untouched.
But the president announced at his bill-signing ceremony that he aims to move Americans 'from dependence to independence' and 'from welfare to gainful employment, strengthening families and uplifting communities.'
SNAP is by far the U.S. Department of Agriculture's largest single expense, amounting to more than $70 billion last year alone.
The USDA proposed a rule on Thursday that would limit how state governments can grant work exemptions to adults.
Passage of the farm bill followed months of tense negotiations over House efforts to significantly tighten work requirements and the Senate's refusal to accept the provisions.
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That's an idea that Congress nixed just days ago, leaving it out of a 5-year Farm Bill that President Donald Trump signed into law Thursday.
The $400 billion law reauthorized agriculture and conservation programs, and left the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which serves roughly 44 million Americans, virtually untouched.
But the president announced at his bill-signing ceremony that he aims to move Americans 'from dependence to independence' and 'from welfare to gainful employment, strengthening families and uplifting communities.'
SNAP is by far the U.S. Department of Agriculture's largest single expense, amounting to more than $70 billion last year alone.
The USDA proposed a rule on Thursday that would limit how state governments can grant work exemptions to adults.
Passage of the farm bill followed months of tense negotiations over House efforts to significantly tighten work requirements and the Senate's refusal to accept the provisions.
More
Governor Larry Hogan Declares State Holiday and Maryland State Government Closure for Christmas Eve
State Offices Will be Closed Monday, December 24
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Larry Hogan has declared that Maryland state government agencies and offices will be closed on Monday, December 24, 2018 in observance of Christmas Eve.
“Since this year Christmas falls on Tuesday and is a state holiday, I am also declaring this Christmas Eve as a holiday so that our hard-working employees can spend more time enjoying the holidays with their loved ones,” said Governor Hogan. “This is just another way we can show our appreciation to our dedicated state workers.”
Under this declaration, December 24, 2018 will be treated like any other state-employee holiday.
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Larry Hogan has declared that Maryland state government agencies and offices will be closed on Monday, December 24, 2018 in observance of Christmas Eve.
“Since this year Christmas falls on Tuesday and is a state holiday, I am also declaring this Christmas Eve as a holiday so that our hard-working employees can spend more time enjoying the holidays with their loved ones,” said Governor Hogan. “This is just another way we can show our appreciation to our dedicated state workers.”
Under this declaration, December 24, 2018 will be treated like any other state-employee holiday.
Notice of Special Legislative Session for the Wicomico County Council
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the County Council of Wicomico County, Maryland, will hold a special Legislative Session to consider Resolution No. 146-2018 accepting a donation of property from Connelly Mill Associates, LLP, consisting of 234.67 acres, more or less, located on the southerly side of but not binding upon Connelly Mill Road, adjacent to the Henry S. Parker Athletic Complex on Thursday, December 27, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. in the Government Office Building, Room 301, Salisbury, Maryland.
Suspect Gets Unusual Body Probe In Police Search. Then He Gets The Bill.
A man stopped by police in Syracuse, New York on October 2017 had a rather unusual search performed on him as the police looked for drugs, and later got a $4,595.12 bill for the service: a rectal probe.
Torrence Jackson, 42, was arrested after failing to signal a turn following a traffic stop; officers reportedly found a baggie of marijuana and cocaine residue on his car seat. Jackson had a prior rap sheet, including charges of resisting arrest, drug use, weapons charges and leading police on chases. Reason.com reported police said he taunted them that he'd hidden drugs inside his rectum. When he was asked for his consent for the sigmoidoscopy at St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center, he refused; he reportedly refused to take a laxative meant to speed up a bowel movement and allegedly would not consent to a standard rectal exam.
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Torrence Jackson, 42, was arrested after failing to signal a turn following a traffic stop; officers reportedly found a baggie of marijuana and cocaine residue on his car seat. Jackson had a prior rap sheet, including charges of resisting arrest, drug use, weapons charges and leading police on chases. Reason.com reported police said he taunted them that he'd hidden drugs inside his rectum. When he was asked for his consent for the sigmoidoscopy at St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center, he refused; he reportedly refused to take a laxative meant to speed up a bowel movement and allegedly would not consent to a standard rectal exam.
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American drug firm sent more than 3 MILLION opioids to West Virginia town in just 10 months
The six-largest drug firm in America shipped more than 3 million prescription opioids to a single pharmacy in West Virginia over the course of 10 months - averaging out to 10,000 pills a day.
McKesson Corp. sent 'massive quantities' of hydocodone to the now closed Sav-Rite Pharmacy in Kermit, West Virginia, according to a congressional report that was released on Wednesday.
The deliveries continued even after a McKesson warehouse in Ohio flagged the orders in 2007, added the report obtained by the West Virginia Gazette Mail.
McKesson had reported to the Drug Enforcement Administration that purchases made were 'reasonable' during that period.
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McKesson Corp. sent 'massive quantities' of hydocodone to the now closed Sav-Rite Pharmacy in Kermit, West Virginia, according to a congressional report that was released on Wednesday.
The deliveries continued even after a McKesson warehouse in Ohio flagged the orders in 2007, added the report obtained by the West Virginia Gazette Mail.
McKesson had reported to the Drug Enforcement Administration that purchases made were 'reasonable' during that period.
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Progressive Nonprofit Caught Trying To Conceal References To Its Employee, Unmasked Antifa Leader Joseph ‘Jose’ Alcoff
The progressive nonprofit organization that employs Antifa leader Joseph “Jose” Alcoff, who has advocated for the violent overthrow of the government, obscured references to the radical communist in its past press releases after Alcoff’s extreme ideology was exposed.
Alcoff, 36, has made significant efforts to separate his true identity from his fanatical personas, “Chepe” and “Jose Martin,” which he uses to lead Antifa groups and promote radical communist rhetoric, The Daily Caller News Foundation revealed Tuesday night. As Alcoff, he advocates for reforms of predatory loans before members of Congress as payday campaign manager for Americans for Financial Reform (AFR).
When speaking as Chepe and through his Twitter handle @sabokitty, Alcoff has called for the murder of the rich and encourages using violence to bring “a world without capitalism, without private property … that is socialist and communist.”
Ron Paul: Warmongers Upset With Trump's Syria Decision
President Trump shocked Washington this morning when he Tweeted confirmation of rumors that he would order the removal of US troops from Syria. According to his spokesperson, the order has already been given. The neocons are not happy, with Sen. Lindsey Graham Tweeting that removing troops is an "Obama-like" move. Will Trump's own staff rebel? What about the fine print? Are we really leaving?
One thing is for sure, the hawks are having a meltdown...
As a case in point, Josh Rogin at the Washington Post ranted Trump undermines his entire national security team on Syria. And CNN emphasized as part of a "hard news" report that Trump has supposedly handed Syria over to Iran and Russia.
According to Rogin:
Trump appears to be discarding his entire Syria and Iran strategy at a single stroke, giving up any and all U.S. influence in the region — and disregarding the advice of his top national security officials.
If he follows through, writes Rogin, there will follow "devastating and dangerous consequences for the United States." And further: "Trump is now contradicting what all of his other top national security officials have been telling the world for months," says Rogin. So the President of the United States can't make a command decision without a nod from the 'deep state'?
Meanwhile the CFR talking heads note Trump has "overruled" the "other voices"...
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One thing is for sure, the hawks are having a meltdown...
As a case in point, Josh Rogin at the Washington Post ranted Trump undermines his entire national security team on Syria. And CNN emphasized as part of a "hard news" report that Trump has supposedly handed Syria over to Iran and Russia.
According to Rogin:
Trump appears to be discarding his entire Syria and Iran strategy at a single stroke, giving up any and all U.S. influence in the region — and disregarding the advice of his top national security officials.
If he follows through, writes Rogin, there will follow "devastating and dangerous consequences for the United States." And further: "Trump is now contradicting what all of his other top national security officials have been telling the world for months," says Rogin. So the President of the United States can't make a command decision without a nod from the 'deep state'?
Meanwhile the CFR talking heads note Trump has "overruled" the "other voices"...
More
Trump Orders Major Afghan Drawdown: 7,000 Troops To Return Home In Coming Weeks
CNN warns "officials brace for Trump announcement on Afghanistan" after Trump's Wednesday bombshell Syria troop pullout announcement. He's now initiated "a major drawdown" of forces in Afghanistan too, and while inside the beltway neocon heads might continue to explode, the broader public for which the seventeen year long Afghan war is deeply unpopular will no doubt cheer the move. And already NBC reports Thursday evening based on defense sources the White House has asked the Pentagon to draw up plans presenting "multiple options" including a "complete withdrawal". Following the "options" order it now appears Trump has pulled the trigger and "ordered the start of a reduction of American forces in Afghanistan" according to a breaking WSJ report:
More than 7,000 American troops will begin to return home from Afghanistan in the coming weeks, a U.S. official said. The move will come as the first stage of a phased drawdown and the start of a conclusion to the 17-year war that officials say could take at least many months. There now are more than 14,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
Further the WSJ reports it marks "the start of a total pullout that could take at least many months."
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More than 7,000 American troops will begin to return home from Afghanistan in the coming weeks, a U.S. official said. The move will come as the first stage of a phased drawdown and the start of a conclusion to the 17-year war that officials say could take at least many months. There now are more than 14,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
Further the WSJ reports it marks "the start of a total pullout that could take at least many months."
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Veteran Suicides Went Up While The VA Sat On Millions For Outreach
Between leadership issues, unspent funding and a lack of outreach, the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (V.A.) efforts to address and decrease the rate of veteran suicide is breaking down, according to a government accountability report.
The V.A.’s mission is to provide care for veterans, including suicide prevention, but it spent only a tiny fraction of its media budget in 2018, a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released Monday shows.
Veterans Health Administration (VHA) had a budget of nearly $18 million to be allocated for mental health media outreach and suicide prevention for fiscal year 2018, according to the report. It spent $57,000 of its $6.2 million paid media budget as of September, the report reveals.
The department put out “339 pieces of social media content in fiscal year 2016, compared with 159 in fiscal year 2017, and 47 during the first 10 months of fiscal year 2018,” according to the report.
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The V.A.’s mission is to provide care for veterans, including suicide prevention, but it spent only a tiny fraction of its media budget in 2018, a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released Monday shows.
Veterans Health Administration (VHA) had a budget of nearly $18 million to be allocated for mental health media outreach and suicide prevention for fiscal year 2018, according to the report. It spent $57,000 of its $6.2 million paid media budget as of September, the report reveals.
The department put out “339 pieces of social media content in fiscal year 2016, compared with 159 in fiscal year 2017, and 47 during the first 10 months of fiscal year 2018,” according to the report.
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Woman 'causes $2,500 worth of damages at a Memphis airport during meltdown'
Tamiko Warner (pictured) was caught on video having an epic meltdown over a $20 baggage fee at Memphis International Airport
A woman was caught on video having an epic meltdown over a $20 baggage fee at the Memphis International Airport on Wednesday.
Tamiko Warner went on a rampage just before her flight and allegedly caused more than $2,500 worth of damage to the airport.
In the video, recorded by other travelers, the woman is seen setting off a fire extinguisher that filled the terminal with fog.
She is also seen flipping over furniture during the shocking incident.
A police report said Warner also threatened employees and knocked over loading poles in the gate area.
The man who filmed the incident said the woman went into meltdown mode over the $20 baggage fee, according to WREG.
In the video, Warner is heard telling staffers: 'I don't care about going to jail. Whatever. This is worth it.'
ICE arrests 63 criminal aliens and immigration violators in 4-day enforcement surge in Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota
Editor’s Note: The arrest statistics provided in this news release represent preliminary data that has been manually reported to ICE headquarters. Official numbers can vary slightly from preliminary data.
MINNEAPOLIS — Federal officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) arrested 63 criminal aliens and immigration violators in Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota during a four-day enforcement action, which ended Dec. 4.
During this operation, ERO deportation officers made arrests in the following states: Minnesota (22), Iowa (22), Nebraska (14), South Dakota (4) and North Dakota (1).
Of the 63 arrested, 47 had criminal convictions. Of the 16 non-criminal arrests, two had outstanding orders of removal, and four had been previously removed. Three women and 60 men were arrested.
Aliens arrested during this operation are from the following nine countries: Mexico (36), Guatemala (13), Honduras (4), El Salvador (2), Somalia (2), and one each from Burma, Ethiopia, Ecuador, Gambia, Liberia and Ukraine.
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MINNEAPOLIS — Federal officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) arrested 63 criminal aliens and immigration violators in Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota during a four-day enforcement action, which ended Dec. 4.
During this operation, ERO deportation officers made arrests in the following states: Minnesota (22), Iowa (22), Nebraska (14), South Dakota (4) and North Dakota (1).
Of the 63 arrested, 47 had criminal convictions. Of the 16 non-criminal arrests, two had outstanding orders of removal, and four had been previously removed. Three women and 60 men were arrested.
Aliens arrested during this operation are from the following nine countries: Mexico (36), Guatemala (13), Honduras (4), El Salvador (2), Somalia (2), and one each from Burma, Ethiopia, Ecuador, Gambia, Liberia and Ukraine.
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Democrats reap the whirlwind of their mob mentality
The Democrats let the cat out of the bag, and now it’s clawing them in the face. The unruly mobs they mobilized to help them win control of the House of Representatives are now setting their sights on Democratic leaders.
Nearly 150 people were arrested recently outside the offices of House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md., while holding a protest to demand radical action on climate change. The same group that organized the rally, the Sunrise Movement, was also behind another protest last month attended by incoming socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, at which 51 activists were arrested.
The protesters are demanding the impossible from Pelosi: a “Green New Deal” that aims to achieve 100 percent renewable energy in 10 years. Ocasio-Cortez, one of the plan’s most prominent champions, envisions it being similar in scope to “World War II or the Marshall Plan,” predicting it will cost “trillions” of dollars.
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Nearly 150 people were arrested recently outside the offices of House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md., while holding a protest to demand radical action on climate change. The same group that organized the rally, the Sunrise Movement, was also behind another protest last month attended by incoming socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, at which 51 activists were arrested.
The protesters are demanding the impossible from Pelosi: a “Green New Deal” that aims to achieve 100 percent renewable energy in 10 years. Ocasio-Cortez, one of the plan’s most prominent champions, envisions it being similar in scope to “World War II or the Marshall Plan,” predicting it will cost “trillions” of dollars.
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Dave Rubin: Leftists Will Destroy Themselves By Purging Rational Democrats from the Party
Political firebrand and talk show host Dave Rubin told Breitbart News in an interview on Wednesday that he, like many Americans, feels out of place in the Democratic Party because the Left in America exerts prejudice by focusing on collectivism rather than individualism.
“If the conservatives are the home of the homophobes and the bigots, [then conservatives] are doing a really, really terrible job of it,” said Rubin to Breitbart News at Turning Point USA’s annual Student Action Summit.
“The Left, unfortunately, has become about collectivism,” said the Rubin Report host, who added that those who believe in the “collective over the individual” are the ones who are actually “exerting prejudice.”
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“If the conservatives are the home of the homophobes and the bigots, [then conservatives] are doing a really, really terrible job of it,” said Rubin to Breitbart News at Turning Point USA’s annual Student Action Summit.
“The Left, unfortunately, has become about collectivism,” said the Rubin Report host, who added that those who believe in the “collective over the individual” are the ones who are actually “exerting prejudice.”
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Former Baltimore Top Cop Pleads Guilty To Tax Fraud
Former Baltimore Police Commissioner Darryl De Sousa has pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday that "he willfully neglected to file income tax returns and falsely claimed deductions to slash the amount he owed to the Internal Revenue Service," said The Baltimore Sun.
De Sousa, 54, resigned as the city's top cop in May, after failing to file his federal taxes for 2013, 2014 and 2015. He faces up to three years in jail and a $300,000 fine when he is sentenced in late March 2019.
“You do agree you’re guilty of these three offenses?” U.S. District Judge Catherine Blake asked him on Tuesday.
“Yes, your honor,” De Sousa said.
He joined the Baltimore Police Department in 1998, and in January 1999, submitted a W-4 to the city of Baltimore incorrectly claiming nine adjustments for state and federal taxes. This "substantially reduced" the amount of taxes withheld from his salary, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland.
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De Sousa, 54, resigned as the city's top cop in May, after failing to file his federal taxes for 2013, 2014 and 2015. He faces up to three years in jail and a $300,000 fine when he is sentenced in late March 2019.
“You do agree you’re guilty of these three offenses?” U.S. District Judge Catherine Blake asked him on Tuesday.
“Yes, your honor,” De Sousa said.
He joined the Baltimore Police Department in 1998, and in January 1999, submitted a W-4 to the city of Baltimore incorrectly claiming nine adjustments for state and federal taxes. This "substantially reduced" the amount of taxes withheld from his salary, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland.
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ICE Arrests More Than 10,000 Known or Suspected Gang Members
Gangs are involved in a myriad of criminal activity, including murder, extortion, narcotics and weapons trafficking, human smuggling/trafficking and prostitution and other crimes with a nexus to the border. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) combine their unique authorities to target criminal activity and administrative immigration violations of known or suspected gang members.
In FY2018, ICE arrested more than 10,000 known or suspected gang members - including more than 2,000 Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) members. This figure includes both criminal and administrative immigration arrests.
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In FY2018, ICE arrested more than 10,000 known or suspected gang members - including more than 2,000 Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) members. This figure includes both criminal and administrative immigration arrests.
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George Soros named Financial Times' 'Person of the Year'
Liberal megadonor George Soros on Thursday was honored by the Financial Times by being named the publication's 2018 "Person of the Year."
"The Financial Times’s choice of Person of the Year is usually a reflection of their achievements,” the editorial board of the London-based newspaper wrote Wednesday. “In the case of Mr. Soros this year, his selection is also about the values he represents.”
Soros, 88, is best known for his work with his grant-giving network, Open Society Foundations. However, the billionaire hedge-fund-manager-turned-philanthropist's influence in Democratic politics has made him a divisive figure on the Right.
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"The Financial Times’s choice of Person of the Year is usually a reflection of their achievements,” the editorial board of the London-based newspaper wrote Wednesday. “In the case of Mr. Soros this year, his selection is also about the values he represents.”
Soros, 88, is best known for his work with his grant-giving network, Open Society Foundations. However, the billionaire hedge-fund-manager-turned-philanthropist's influence in Democratic politics has made him a divisive figure on the Right.
More
Good Samaritan Thwarts Man Who Tried to Kidnap 11-Year-Old Girl
"When I told him to get off of her he yelled back, 'Who are you, a superhero?'" the good Samaritan said
A good Samaritan stopped a man who allegedly threw an 11-year-old girl into his car on Saturday and tried to kidnap her in Queens, law enforcement sources said.
The girl was walking to a weekend school around 7:50 a.m. when Relin Estrada, 40, allegedly started calling after her from his Honda Civic near Centre Street and Seneca Avenue in Ridgewood, the sources told NBC 4 New York.
The girl felt uncomfortable and tried to run away, but Estrada allegedly followed her in his car, blocked her with it, jumped out, grabbed her and threw her into the vehicle, according to sources.
That’s when Alexandar Salas heard the girl’s screams and rushed out to help.
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A good Samaritan stopped a man who allegedly threw an 11-year-old girl into his car on Saturday and tried to kidnap her in Queens, law enforcement sources said.
The girl was walking to a weekend school around 7:50 a.m. when Relin Estrada, 40, allegedly started calling after her from his Honda Civic near Centre Street and Seneca Avenue in Ridgewood, the sources told NBC 4 New York.
The girl felt uncomfortable and tried to run away, but Estrada allegedly followed her in his car, blocked her with it, jumped out, grabbed her and threw her into the vehicle, according to sources.
That’s when Alexandar Salas heard the girl’s screams and rushed out to help.
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Baltimore Hits 300 Homicides for Fourth Year in a Row
Baltimore has hit its 300th homicide this year making 2018 the fourth year in a row where the dangerous city’s murder rate passed the 300-mark.
The high mark was reached on Wednesday when police were called to a shooting at around 11:30 p.m. Officers found a 30-year-old man shot and he died later at a hospital, Baltimore’s CBS affiliate reported.
The growing murder rate has made Baltimore the third most dangerous city in America overall, and with 300 murders among its 618,385 residents. The city also has the fifth highest murder rate in the country.
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The high mark was reached on Wednesday when police were called to a shooting at around 11:30 p.m. Officers found a 30-year-old man shot and he died later at a hospital, Baltimore’s CBS affiliate reported.
The growing murder rate has made Baltimore the third most dangerous city in America overall, and with 300 murders among its 618,385 residents. The city also has the fifth highest murder rate in the country.
More
Democrats Ran Russian Bot ‘False Flag’ Operation In Alabama — And Media Fell For It
Democratic operatives created thousands of Twitter accounts posing as Russian bots in order to boost Alabama Democratic Sen. Doug Jones in the October 2017 special election by linking his Republican opponent, Roy Moore, to Russian influence campaigns.
The operatives, who were funded by liberal billionaire Reid Hoffman independently of Jones’s campaign, created more than a thousand Russian-language accounts that followed Moore’s Twitter account overnight, The New York Times reported Wednesday evening.
Hoffman gave the operatives $100,000 for their project, which included creating fake conservative Facebook accounts to dissuade voters from supporting Moore, according to the Times.
“We orchestrated an elaborate ‘false flag’ operation that planted the idea that the Moore campaign was amplified on social media by a Russian botnet,” the operatives recounted in an internal report obtained by the Times.
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The operatives, who were funded by liberal billionaire Reid Hoffman independently of Jones’s campaign, created more than a thousand Russian-language accounts that followed Moore’s Twitter account overnight, The New York Times reported Wednesday evening.
Hoffman gave the operatives $100,000 for their project, which included creating fake conservative Facebook accounts to dissuade voters from supporting Moore, according to the Times.
“We orchestrated an elaborate ‘false flag’ operation that planted the idea that the Moore campaign was amplified on social media by a Russian botnet,” the operatives recounted in an internal report obtained by the Times.
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CNN’s 2014 Journalist Of The Year Resigns After Admitting To Falsifying Stories
A reporter at the German news magazine Der Spiegel — who won CNN’s Journalist of the Year Award in 2014 — resigned on Wednesday after admitted to making up stories.
Claas Relotius “falsified articles on a grand scale and even invented characters,” Der Spiegel admitted in a statement.
It went on, “He included individuals in his stories who he had never met or spoken to, telling their stories or quoting them. Instead, he would reveal, he based the depictions on other media or video recordings.”
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Claas Relotius “falsified articles on a grand scale and even invented characters,” Der Spiegel admitted in a statement.
It went on, “He included individuals in his stories who he had never met or spoken to, telling their stories or quoting them. Instead, he would reveal, he based the depictions on other media or video recordings.”
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