From the Trenches World Report
Enforce our Bill of Rights
A US military member was killed and two others were wounded in Somalia Friday when they were attacked while on a mission advising Somali National Army forces, a US defense official confirmed to CNN.
The incident occurred 40 miles west of Mogadishu near the town of Barii. The wounded are receiving medical attention, the official said. The troops came under small arms fire. Continue reading “US military member killed in action in Somalia”
After floodwaters punched through levees in parts of Missouri and Arkansas, the National Weather Service warned Thursday of more high water in northwest Arkansas, where some 100 members of the National Guard are assisting in the flood-fighting effort.
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said 25 guard vehicles are prepared for high-water rescues as needed in an area where at least nine levee breaches have been reported. Continue reading “Floods threaten parts of Arkansas, Missouri as National Guard steps in”
By the slimmest of margins, the House of Representatives passed the Republican plan to replace Obamacare Thursday afternoon, sending the measure to a skeptical Senate where it would be almost certain to take on a completely different form. Republicans passed the bill by a vote of 217 to 213, just one vote over the 216 needed.
Republicans had been working to piece together a GOP-only coalition of votes ever since their attempt to repeal and replace much of the Affordable Care Act failed nearly two months ago and came into the vote with just 21 votes to spare. Continue reading “House Narrowly Passes GOP Health Care Bill”
Washington, 3 May (Argus) — Republicans in the US House of Representatives are dusting off energy bills that died last year as they make a fresh attempt to expedite a permitting process for natural gas and oil pipelines they say takes too long.
The bills under consideration include similar language included in legislation the House passed last year but that never became law. President Donald Trump has pushed to accelerate pipeline approvals, but Republicans view their bills as a more permanent fix to what they consider to be a flawed permitting process and avoid the types of issues that delayed the 830,000 b/d Keystone XL pipeline. Continue reading “US House looks to expedite pipeline permitting”
Two Russian Bear bombers — escorted for the first time by a pair of Su-35 “Flanker” fighter jets — entered Alaska’s Air Defense Zone early Thursday morning, U.S. officials told Fox News.
The Russian formation was intercepted by a pair of U.S. Air Force F-22 stealth fighter jets that were already flying a patrol about 50 miles southwest of Chariot, Alaska. Continue reading “Russian bombers, fighter jets fly near Alaska, prompting Air Force escort”
The executive order President Trump is expected to sign Thursday will be focused on the Johnson Amendment and allow non-profit organizations to deny certain health coverage for religious reasons, administration sources told Fox News Wednesday.
The three main points of the executive order, according to a senior White House official, will declare “that it is the policy of the administration to protect and vigorously promote religious liberty,” direct the IRS “to exercise maxim enforcement of discretion to alleviate the burden of the Johnson Amendment,” and provide “regulatory relief for religious objectors to Obamacare’s burdensome preventive services mandate.” Continue reading “Trump executive order on religious liberty to focus on Johnson Amendment, sources say”
WESTBURY, Long Island (WABC) — Police in Nassau County have announced the arrests of three members of the notorious MS-13 gang on charges of attempted murder in Westbury.
The three undocumented immigrants from El Salvador, all described as “extremely dangerous” reputed members of the gang, were arrested in connection with two separate attacks on 19-year-old men in Westbury. Continue reading “Police: 3 members of notorious Long Island gang charged with attempted murder”
Washington, 2 May (Argus) — The US Defense Department wants to prolong a drilling ban in the eastern part of the US Gulf of Mexico, an area the oil industry is lobbying President Donald Trump’s administration to open for leasing.
The area is estimated to contain 3.6bn bl of technically recoverable oil and 11.5 Tcf of natural gas but is largely off-limits to drilling until 2022. Existing infrastructure like pipelines from development elsewhere in the Gulf makes the region particularly attractive to oil and gas producers, but military officials worry that drilling and production activity could impede use of the area for training and testing. Continue reading “Pentagon calls for extension of drilling moratorium in eastern Gulf of Mexico”
Washington Examiner – by Todd Shepherd
The conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch released almost 900 new emails from a Huma Abedin email account on Tuesday, which the group said offer more proof that Hillary Clinton sent and received classified information through her unsecured home server when she was secretary of state. Abedin was a long-time top aide to Clinton.
Judicial Watch obtained the emails with a Freedom of Information Act request that also required a follow-up lawsuit in 2015 after the State Department failed to produce any records. Continue reading “Judicial Watch claims more evidence of classified info in Clinton emails”
LA Times – by Richard Winton and Matt Hamilton
Federal agents seized about five dozen firearms worth tens of thousands of dollars from a high-ranking Pasadena police officer during a raid earlier this year, according to newly released government records.
The Feb. 16 search of the officer’s Sierra Madre home by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was widely publicized, but authorities did not identify the officer or detail what was recovered. Continue reading “Huge arsenal seized from high-ranking Pasadena police officer’s home, new records show”
After months of activism efforts to encourage President Trump to honor his campaign promises, Americans for Legal Immigration PAC is regretfully announcing the revocation of the organization’s endorsement of Donald Trump originally issued February 29, 2016.
ALIPAC’s supporters have endorsed, contributed to, volunteered for, and attended events and rallies to help Trump in response to his promises to enforce all existing immigration and border laws while ending Obama’s DACA Amnesty and building a wall on our southern border. Continue reading “ALIPAC Revokes Trump Endorsement Due To Betrayal on Immigration Promises”
What a rescue — one that’s tough to watch.
It was 10 miles north of Canton, just after the tornadoes hit Texas on Saturday, leaving four people dead and more than 50 injured.
Tom Mitchell felt compelled to do something, anything. Without a plan, he started driving. After rolling up to a flipped truck near Myrtle Springs, he learned what was inside — a father, toddler, and infant. Continue reading “Good Samaritans rescue baby, toddler after tornadoes rip through Texas”
Bloomberg – by Meenal Vamburkar
A directive requiring U.S. pipeline companies to use American steel and iron in their projects is testing President Donald Trump’s ability to keep his promises to two industries on opposing sides of the issue.
In comments to the U.S. Department of Commerce, which is crafting the so-called “Buy American” plan, pipeline companies and their trade groups argued the change would increase costs and disrupt operations. Steel companies, meanwhile, embraced the policy as an opportunity to take advantage of the country’s surging oil and gas production. And Trump has vowed to support both. Continue reading “Pipeline Companies Push Back Against Trump’s ‘Buy American’ Rule”
A student at the University of Texas Austin attacked his fellow undergraduates Monday with what authorities described as a “Bowie-style hunting knife,” killing one and injuring three others.
UT Austin Police Chief David Carter identified the suspect as 21-year-old Kendrex J. White, who was taken into custody without incident near a gymnasium. Continue reading “UT Austin stabbing spree: 1 killed, 3 others wounded, suspect in custody”
MILWAUKIE, Ore. – A man accused of sexually assaulting a 9-year-old girl while she was sleeping in her bed at a Milwaukie apartment has been arrested.
Santiago Martinez-Flores, 48, was arrested in Southern California, near the border with Mexico, according to the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office. Continue reading “Man accused of sexually assaulting 9-year-old girl arrested near Mexico border”
Washington (CNN)Maine’s Republican governor has filed a lawsuit against the state’s Democratic attorney general for allegedly refusing to represent his administration in court.
Gov. Paul LePage, an outspoken politician like his ally, President Donald Trump, said Monday that his office had filed a complaint in a county court that details Attorney General Janet Mills’ “abuse of power by refusing to legally represent the executive branch in law court.” Continue reading “Maine governor sues his state’s attorney general”