From the Trenches World Report
Enforce our Bill of Rights
The inventor of the iconic AK-47 assault rifle, Mikhail Kalashnikov, has died at the age of 94. His ingenuity earned him widespread admiration, but his legacy became more controversial when his weapons were used in some of the world’s bloodiest conflicts.
“Mikhail Kalashnikov’s entire life is a shining example of dedication to serving your country,” said a statement from Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu. Continue reading “Inventor of AK-47 rifle Mikhail Kalashnikov dies at 94”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday criticized U.S. spying on Israel; he’s the latest world leader to take aim at the National Security Agency’s surveillance activities.
Documents leaked by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden to The Guardian and others on Friday showed that the NSA and Britain’s Government Communications Headquarters had targeted an email address for then-Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in 2009, as well as the Israeli defense minister. Continue reading “Netanyahu: NSA spying on Israel ‘not acceptable’”
Daily Herald – by Associated Press
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is traveling to China to promote trade with Chicago and city tourism.
He’s set deliver remarks at Tsinghua University in Beijing on Monday morning and later at a Choose Chicago luncheon. He’s also scheduled to address the minister of commerce, vice mayors and leaders of several major Chinese cities to sign an agreement related to trade with Chicago. Continue reading “Emanuel Travels To China To Promote Chicago”
Opposing Views – by Sarah Fruchtnicht
A recent college graduate in Washington says he wants an apology after deputies in Spokane County mistakenly raided his home, with guns drawn, giving him the scare of his life.
Conner Guerrero says he noticed somebody sneaking around his yard at night and assumed it was burglars.
“Just trying to enjoy my evening. All the sudden, I see a flashlight shining through my doors…” said Guerrero. “I’m thinking this could be a dangerous situation for me.” Continue reading “Cop Who Raided The Wrong House Tells Homeowner ‘You’re Lucky I Didn’t F–King Shoot You’”
WASHINGTON (AP) — A covert CIA program has helped Colombia’s government kill at least two dozen leaders of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the rebel insurgency also known as FARC, The Washington Post reported Saturday.
The National Security Agency has also provided “substantial eavesdropping help” to the Colombian government, according to the Post. And the U.S. provided Colombia with GPS equipment that can be used to transform regular munitions into “smart bombs” that can accurately home in on specific targets, even if they are located in dense jungles. Continue reading “Report: CIA helped Colombia kill rebel leaders”
New York Times – by CHARLIE SAVAGE and DAVID E. SANGER
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration moved late Friday to prevent a federal judge in California from ruling on the constitutionality of warrantless surveillance programs authorized during the Bush administration, telling a court that recent disclosures about National Security Agency spying were not enough to undermine its claim that litigating the case would jeopardize state secrets.
In a set of filings in the two long-running cases in the Northern District of California, the government acknowledged for the first time that the N.S.A. started systematically collecting data about Americans’ emails and phone calls in 2001, alongside its program of wiretapping certain calls without warrants. The government had long argued that disclosure of these and other secrets would put the country at risk if they came out in court. Continue reading “White House Tries to Prevent Judge From Ruling on Surveillance Efforts”
BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian rebels seized control a strategic hospital near Aleppo, giving a boost to beleaguered anti-government forces in the northern city after days of relentless airstrikes on opposition-held neighborhoods there, activists said Saturday.
The rebels’ capture of Kindi hospital does not drastically alter the broader battle for Aleppo, which has been divided for more than a year between opposition and government forces. But it does provide a lift to a rebel movement that has been dogged in recent months by infighting that allowed President Bashar Assad’s forces to chip away at rebel-held territory on several fronts. Continue reading “Syrian rebels seize strategic hospital in Aleppo”
China’s military lashed out Saturday at Japan’s plans to boost defense spending, accusing Tokyo of raising regional tensions under the pretext of safeguarding national security.
China “resolutely opposes” the five-year defense plan adopted by Japan on Tuesday, Defense Ministry spokesman Geng Yansheng said in a statement posted on the ministry’s website. Continue reading “China Lashes out at Japan’s New Defense Plan”
TEPCO has found a record 1.9 million becquerels per liter of beta ray-emitting radioactive substances at its No.2 reactor. Also radioactive cesium was detected in deeper groundwater at No.4 unit’s well, as fears grow of a new leak into the ocean.
The level of beta ray-emitting radioactivity in groundwater around the crippled Fukushima reactor No. 2 reactor has been rising since November, NHK reported. Continue reading “TEPCO detects record radiation at Fukushima’s reactor 2, new leak suspected”
A joint Gulf military command will have a force of around 100,000 strong, Saudi Arabia has announced, as the Kingdom tries to secure its force in the region, following a rift with the US over Washington’s rapprochement with Iran, Riyadh’s regional rival.
“There will be a unified command of around 100,000 members, God willing. I hope it will happen soon, and the National Guard is ready for anything that is asked of it,” Minister of the National Guard Prince Miteb Bin Abdullah announced, Saudi Press Agency reports. Continue reading “Joint Gulf military command to control 100,000 combat troops”
Washington (AFP) – President Barack Obama warned South Sudan on Saturday that Washington and its allies would cut aid to the country over any attempted military coup, amid growing fears of civil war.
And top US diplomat John Kerry called South Sudanese President Salva Kiir to stress that the renewed violence endangers the independence of the young nation born in July 2011 with backing from the United States, breaking away from Sudan after a five-decade struggle. Continue reading “Obama warns S. Sudan against military coup”
Daily Mail – by VICTORIA WOOLLASTON
For centuries it’s been thought that the ancient Egyptians built their huge pyramids by hauling heavy granite blocks up specially crafted ramps.
Yet Newport engineer Peter James has branded this ‘impossible’, claiming the ramps would need to have been a quarter of a mile long or else they would have been too steep to carry the large blocks up. Continue reading “Were the pyramids built INSIDE OUT?”
In an effort to condition children to accept the police state, the TSA has released a cartoon depicting an animated family enduring a warrantless federal checkpoint at an airport.
The video casts the the travelers and government agents as cute doggie characters that show how fun it can be to go through a checkpoint. Continue reading “TSA releases cartoon animation to introduce kids to warrantless checkpoints”
A federal judge struck down Utah’s same-sex marriage ban Friday in a decision that brings an increasing nationwide shift toward allowing gay marriage to a conservative state where the Mormon church has long been against it.
U.S. District Judge Robert J. Shelby issued a 53-page ruling saying Utah’s law passed by voters in 2004 violates gay and lesbian couples’ rights to due process and equal protection under the 14th Amendment. Continue reading “Judge strikes down Utah’s same-sex marriage ban as unconstitutional”
The Daily Star – by Jason Straziuso
KAMPALA, Uganda: Rebel fire hit two U.S. military aircraft responding to the outbreak in violence in South Sudan on Saturday, wounding three U.S. service members and heavily damaging at least one of the aircraft, officials said. South Sudan blamed the attack on renegade troops in control of the breakaway region.
The U.S. military aircraft were heading to Bor, the capital of the state of Jonglei and scene of some of the nation’s worst violence over the last week. One American service member was reported to be in critical condition. Officials said after the aircraft took incoming fire, they turned around and headed to Kampala, Uganda. From there the service members were flown on to Nairobi, Kenya for medical treatment, the officials said. Continue reading “U.S. military aircraft hit in South Sudan”
LA Times – by Brian Bennett and Lisa Mascaro
WASHINGTON — In its last workday of the year, the Democratic-controlled Senate overcame GOP objections Friday to confirm two high-profile Obama nominees to the Department of Homeland Security and the Internal Revenue Service, but put off final approval of Federal Reserve chairwoman candidate Janet L. Yellen until January as part of a late-night cease-fire so lawmakers could adjourn for the holiday recess.
After heated debate, the Senate narrowly approved Alejandro Mayorkas, President Obama’s controversial pick for the No. 2 job at Homeland Security, in a 54-41 vote. No Republicans voted yes. Mayorkas will report to the new Homeland Security secretary, Jeh Johnson, who was confirmed Tuesday. Continue reading “Senate confirms new Homeland Security deputy and IRS chief”
The Senate adjourned Friday afternoon, after a week full of passing a bipartisan budget deal, the Defense spending bill and confirming several of President Obama’s nominees.
On Thursday night, it was unclear if the Senate would have to continue to work on nominations through the weekend, but as it is often threatened and rarely occurs, it was not surprising that Senate leaders reached an agreement to avoid a prolonged schedule. Continue reading “Senate adjourns after passing resolution condemning Iran”
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The Hill – by Jeremy Herb
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